Greybrook S1|E3 : Road Trip

Greybrook S1|E3

“Road Trip”

Cade wakes up from a disturbing dream and decides to check on Jorgen, but the artificer won’t answer his door. Cade only hears groans of resistance behind the locked door to Jorgen’s room. The halfling shrugs and goes up stairs for a proper breakfast, even though it’s close to 5 in the afternoon. 

Someone new is sitting at the dining room table. Her skin has pink hue to it and horns are setback further than a typical teifling. Cade assesses that this newcomer isn’t a teifling because of the lack of tail and, most notably, her hands only had 3 fingers with a thumb. Her demeanor is casual as she gives him a slight grin. The ranger halfling gives her a once over and then makes his breakfast. 

Scribe emerges from the basement moments later, but has her nose stuck in the Silent Raven’s diary. Flinard had let her study it as the other went out the night before. Scribe devoted most of her time with the diary to pick up some key phrases in Abyssal, but she is far from fluent with the strange speech. She sits down at the table without noticing the newcomer.

Cade plops his plate on the table and introduces himself, “my name is Cade Thornbrush! Who might you be?” and take a huge bite of sausage. 

The newcomer smiles at the large plate of food for such a small person, “I am Tal’yrra. Flinard wishes me to accompany you both today.” 

Scribe looks up from the diary for a moment, “Sure, whatever.” 

Cade looks at Tal’yrra’s features again, but can’t place what she is, “I hate to be rude, but what exactly are you?”

Tal’yrra chuckles a bit, “I am a moonshadow elf from the Feywild. I’m lost without a way home and I owe Flinard for giving a me safe place to stay while I figure things out.” 

Flinard stumbles out of his room while buttoning the final buttons of his vest, “I told you, Tal’yrra. You owe me nothing.” 

“Is she awakened?” Cade questions Flinard. 

Flinard smirks with both of his hands flat on the tabletop, “Indeed, Mr. Cade. Indeed.” 

******

Cade catches everyone up on what happened at the old sausage factory last night and that Jorgen refuses to leave his room. 

“Hmmm. Mr. Wick has also decided to lay low after last night’s outing as well,” Flinard looks down at the table and then over to Tal’yrra. 

Tal’yrra grumbles, “All the better! I prefer to keep my distance from that Unseelie scum!”

“He’s an amazing fighter and a decent man, Tal’yrra. I need him for the fight against the undead in Greybrook. Please, be tolerant,” Flinard’s shoulders tense with the knowledge that Wick and Tal’yrra will almost certainly come to blows, if exposed to one another. 

Lia and Aurorka Ithrana come out of the kitchen. Flinard rubs his brow thinking about all the ruckus caused by Jorgen for the past two nights and the coming of the Harbinger. Greybrook is becoming to dangerous for them to stay and they can only stay cooped up in his hobbit hole for so long. 

“I need you three to get the Ithrana women to Raven Nook,” Flinard states as he takes a sip of tea, “We cannot keep them here while creating so much trouble.” 

Lia speaks up with raised concern, “I agree, but we need some herbs for a tonic to help with Aurorka’s asthma while on the road. I beg you to fetch some rosemary and butterburr from the city market before we leave.” Lia tosses a few silver onto the table and Scribe snatches it up almost immediately. 

“Done,” Scribe blurts while pocketing the coins and returning to her reading. 

“Fine. Fine. You three go to the market while I get the carriage ready for the trip. Please, try to stay out of trouble,” Flinard stands up and looks at Scribe reading, “Ms. Scribe, I need that diary back for a bit.” He snatches it from her hands and takes a step towards his library. 

“You know the man in my dreams, that I told you about? The one that Jorgen sees too,” Cade whispers to Flinard as he passes by. 

Flinard stops, “I do remember you telling me of him. Why?” 

“Do you think you could find out what he or it is? The last dream was pretty bad,” Cade shutters a bit while inhaling a forkful of scrambled eggs. 

Flinard nods as he looks in the halfling ranger’s eyes, “Understood. I’ll start researching as soon as you three get on the road.” 

“Aye, thank you,” Cade shoves the last biscuit into his mouth and rises from the table. 

Tal’yrra smiles at the sight of Cade finishing his breakfast, “Does this mean we’re ready to see the town!?”

“Tal’yrra, please keep a low profile,” Flinard begs, “A moonshadow elf is not a common thing to be walking the streets of Greybrook. Keep your hood up and your hands in your pockets.”

******

“GOOD DAY, CITIZEN! GoooOOD DAaay, CITIIIZZEN! Good DAAY, CITIZEN!” Tal’yrra enjoys greeting every person within earshot as the trio walks to the city market. 

Cade feeling amused, but a touch annoyed, “Might you calm yourself, lass? All it will take is for someone to pull your hood down and our whole day will be lost.” 

Tal’yrra slumps her shoulders and whispers to another passerby, “good day, citizen.”

Scribe starts to feel her stomach growl, but more than that she’s notices the sound of clicking wood on stone every time they reach a new street on the way to the market. 

“Do either of you two hear that as well?” Scribe stops in the middle of the street to try and point out the sound. The sound happens again, but this time she sees that it’s a town lamplighter pounding his lighting staff on the cobblestone. Cade recognizes Whistlin’ Willy, the boss lamplighter, coming out of an alley looking right at him. 

“I’ve got business with you, little man. Won’t you step into my office,” Whistlin’ Willy gestures to the alley that he just came from. 

“We’ll continue to the market while you talk to your friend!” Tal’yrra grabs Scribe’s arm and continues to the city market. 

Cade stares blankly as the two ladies walk away and he’s left by himself to follow a strange old man down an alley. The ranger places his hands on both of his short swords and walks into the alley with Whistlin’ Willy waiting at the end. Upon entering the alley, Cade’s exit is immediately cutoff by two other lamplighters. 

Whistlin’ Willy takes a long drag from his pipe, “My boys saw something last night. They saw you and your boys running out of the old sausage factory as it caught fire.” 

Cade stays silent and measures up the old man while waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

Willy continues with a huge satisfying grin, “They also saw that shit-ass halfling lieutenant running out of there too. So, I have an offer to make you.” 

Cade’s eyes narrow and his gaze turns icy, “What might that be, old man?”

“Groz Crushoak won’t let my boys light the lamps in the city market,” Whistlin’ Willy explains, “She says dark streets make for easy pickings. If those light don’t get lit, my boys can’t put food on their families’ tables. Groz is a half-orc and the leader of the theives’ guild. If you can end this feud between us, I’ll have my boys tell the captain of the guard that they saw Hatcher light the sausage factory up last night. I don’t care how you do it, just get my boys lighting those lamps.”

“And will you know that I held up my end of the bargain?” Cade asks.

Willy blows smoke out of a corner of his mouth, “You’ll see the lamps lit in the city market and the guards won’t be after you.” 

Cade looks over his shoulder at the two men blocking his exit, “Aye, it’s a deal.”

Both the men let out a sigh of relief and relax their posture. As Cade walks out of the alley, one of them thanks him for not making it a fight. 

******

“Are you hungry? I’m hungry,” Scribe looks around the shops for a treat. 

Tal’yrra adjusting her hood to try to hide her appearance, “Why didn't you eat at Flinard’s like everyone else? That book must have been really good.” 

“All books are good,” Scribe sees a baker closing up shop and about to toss some bread, “The only difference is what they are good for.” 

Tal’yrra sees the baker as well, “GOOOD DAY, CITIZEN!” 

The baker looks at Tal’yrra in bewilderment, but waves back after dumping out the old bread into some bins. Scribe licks her lips as she eyes a loaf sitting right on top. She tip toes over as the baker walks back inside and snatches the bread from the bin. 

“Eating from the garbage?” Tal’yrra slumps her shoulders in disbelief, “Does everyone do that on this plane?”

Scribe takes a big bite while grabbing another somewhat clean loaf from the bin, “It’s cheap, therefore practical.” 

Scribe points over Tal’yrra’s shoulder and swallows a large bite. Tal’yrra turns and sees a shop called ‘Gurdy’s Herbs & Tonics’ and it was still open despite the setting sun. The two women walk close together down the unlit market street towards the shop. 

Cade enters the city market by the front entrance gates and runs into a gnome covered in the same sort of garb as Jorgen. The gnome looks rather concerned with soot covering his face and scratching his head. 

“Anything wrong, friend?” Cade asks the trouble gnome artificer. 

The gnome answers back, “Plenty! Someone took a bundle of my dynamite from the shop a day ago. I thought I might get some clues by asking around in the market today, but no luck. I was worried that some kids got ahold of it and blew the sausage factory up last night, but that was just a fire. No explosion, thank the gods!”

Cade takes in the information with great concern, “That is a big problem you have there.”

“AYE! Well, have a nice night,” the gnome walks away with troubled shoulders. 

******

Tal’yrra and Scribe walk into Gurdy’s Herbs & Tonics making the hanging bell above the door ring loudly. The moonshadow elf flinches at the noise a bit, but smiles in bemusement. 

“SHOP’S CLOSED!” an old woman with a broom shouts and doesn’t even turn to look at the two of them. 

Scribe swallows another piece of bread, “Please ma’am, we need some herbs for a friend and we need them tonight.” 

The old woman sighs heavily and lets the broom drop to the floor, “FINE! What will it be?” She walks behind the counter and finally looks at her customers. The old woman’s eyes narrow as she looks at Scribe. 

Tal’yrra happily replies, “Butterbur and Rosemary, ma’am!”

The old woman turns around while keeping an eye on Scribe, “It’s Gurdy. Stop with the ma’am crap.” 

Gurdy puts two small jars containing the requested herbs, all the while scowling at Scribe. 

“It’ll be 2 gold, for a tiefling,” Gurdy practically spits the words with disgust. 

Scribe wipes her crumb-covered chin, “HEY! THAT’S NOT OKAY!”

Tal’yrra places her hands on the jars of herbs and stares deep into Gurdy’s eyes, “How about you have us pay the proper price like everyone else?”

Gurdy flinches at the sight of Tal’yrra’s hands and the tone in her voice, “2 silver and get out.” 

Scribe slaps the coins on the counter and Tal’yrra hands her the herbs. Scribe walks out and holds the door for Tal’yrra. 

Tal’yrra looks over her shoulder as she walks out, “GOOD DAY! BIGOT!”

The old woman shouts through the closed door, “IT’S GURDY!!!”

******

Cade bumps into Tal’yrra and Scribe as they are exiting Gurdy’s Herbs & Tonics. With the sun finally setting all the way, the group is left in the dark streets of city market and no street lamps lit. Cade is having a tough time seeing down the dark alleys. 

“Oh! Hello, Cade. How did the meeting go with your friend?” Tal’yrra smiles and wonders why Cade is squinting at her. 

“Tal’yrra! Sorry, I can barely see a thing!” Cade explains, “Do you have the herbs?”

“I do!” Scribe exclaims, “The storekeeper wasn’t very pleasant.”

“A bigot to be exact!”  Tal’yrra gladly punctuates the ‘B’ and the ’T’. 

Cade shakes his head, “That’s a shame, but at least you got the herbs and we can leave after I settle something.”

Tal’yrra claps her hands, “OH! Is this something with your friend that you went in the alley with?!”

“Aye, lass,” Cade looks around with a whisper, “This part of town is controlled by a thieves’ guild and the leader won’t let the lamplighters light the lamps because it’s bad for thievin’. Whispering Willy wants me to convince this Groz Crushoak to let them light the lamps that way his men get properly paid.” 

“Why should we help his guy?” Scribe questions Cade’s motives in her normal volume of voice. 

“Please, keep it down! No telling who could be listening in with thieves about,” Cade goes on, “Some of the lamplighters saw me, Jorgen, and Wick running out of the burning sausage factory, but they also saw Lt. Hatcher. If I get this Groz to let them light the streets, the lamplighters will only tell the authorities that they saw Lt. Hatcher at the sausage factory.” 

Tal’yrra looks around the street as some townsfolk are just milling about and walking to taverns, “How should we start? I don’t care about what happens to that Unseelie scum, but I’ll help keep you and Jorgen out of trouble.” 

“I guess I will too,” Scribe shakes her head and downs the last of her “found” bread. 

Cade shrugs and scratches his head. He sees a lamp post not too far away and an idea grabs hold of his imagination. The halfling ranger pulls out one of his torches and lights it. Scribe and Tal’yrra shield their eyes as the torch ignites with bright light. Cade climbs the lamp post and manages to get to the top after a few slips. 

As he starts to put the torch into the hood of the lamp, something whizzes by breaking the lamp hood and making Cade drop his torch. Scribe ducks and looks all around. Tal’yrra follows the trajectory of the bolt back to its source without fail. Her eyes land squarely on a man holding a hand crossbow in the alley not too far from them. 

“You can’t do that, little man!” The hooded man states while reloading his weapon. 

Cade immediately goes in to rush the man and drawing his swords, but the hooded man is quick and brings his hand crossbow up level with Cade’s forehead. 

The hooded man says nonchalantly, “Not so fast, little man. I was just doing my job.” 

“Bring me to Groz Crushoak! Now!” Cade snarls and squares his shoulders. 

The hooded man looks past Cade at the two women and back to Cade. The hooded man lowers his weapon and straightens his back. Tal’yrra and Scribe walk up to be flush with Cade. 

The hooded man tucks in his chin and emphasizes with his hands to stay put, “Alllrriight, you all stay right here. I’ll go get Groz.” 

The hooded man bounds off down the alley and vanishes. The trio look to each other and then to the ground. After a moment, they all run to hiding spots and wait for Groz to show up. 

******

“It’s been an hour atleast!” Scribe whispers harshly at Cade. 

“He said he’d bring her. Be patient,” Cade whispers back, “Where did Tal’yrra hide? I lost track of her!”

With nightfall fully set and the full moon overhead, Tal’yrra’s moonshadow ability to blend into her surroundings is fully in affect, rendering her almost completely invisible. 

Scribe looks over to where she saw Tal’yrra hide, “Yeah, I don’t know. I could have sworn she was right there.” 

“I AM!” Tal’yrra exclaims. 

“SHHH!!” Both Scribe and Cade plead as they make out the faintest outline of their moonshadow companion. 

In the distant the trio can hear a husky feminine voice, “They asked for me and you just left them in the middle of the street?”

“What else was I supposed to do? It was three to one and they looked seriously twitchy,” the familiar voice of the hooded man says incredulously. 

“Well, they aren’t here anymore. What did they look like again?” the husky feminine voice asks the hooded man. 

Tal’yrra and Cade move to get a look at the new voice. Unfortunately, Cade isn’t quite quiet enough and she sees Groz Crushoak’s eye stare directly back at his. 

“Oh, shit! He’s right there!” Groz exclaims as Tal’yrra sneaks up from behind and places a scimitar gently under Groz’s chin, “What the fuck!?”

“I told you! TWITCHY!” the hooded man raises his crossbow and Cade knocks it from his hands. The hooded man curses as he rubs his wounded hand. 

“What is the meaning of..” Groz starts to growl, but Tal’yrra presses the scimitar harder into Groz’s chin. 

“What should I do?!” the hooded man pulls a dagger from his belt. 

Groz shoves her hips to break free of her unseen captor, “FIGHT!”

Tal’yrra let her dagger drag down Groz’s back as the half-orc escapes from her hold. Groz bellows as white-hot pain fills her mind and she swings wildly at nothing. 

The hooded man takes a swing at Cade, but in his excitement misses the halfling and swing just above Cade’s head. From her hiding spot, Scribe lets loose a ray of frost that nails the hooded man in the jaw. Cade follows up with a deadly swing of his short sword and the hooded man topples over in a heap. 

The moonshadow elf dances around the half-orc almost like a predatory cat and stabs Groz in the small of her back ending with a wicked twist her dagger. Once again, Groz snarls and swings at the open air unable to see the moonshadow elf. 

Scribe shoots another ray of frost, but this time at Groz and almost fells the half-orc. Cade sees the rage building in Groz’s eyes and knows that this situation will not end with a peaceful talk. He sighs and drives his short sword into Groz’s belly. Not a moment later, the trio can see lamplighters start to light the streets. Scribe dips her hand into the pockets of Groz and the hooded man. She finds 10 gold and smiles. 

The three of them run off back to Flinard’s leaving the dead thieves in the opening of the alley. 

******

A fully stocked stagecoach-style carriage is in the front of Flinard’s house with two horses in it’s reins. Both sides of the driver’s bench has oil lamps to help see in the dark. The horses shift uncomfortably as the trio rush past them into Flinard’s hobbit hole. 

“Oh, good! I was starting to worry about you three!,” Flinard responds as the trio enter his home, “But why are you out of breath and look as though something bad happened? What happened?!”

“I’ll explain later, but we had to run in with Groz Crushoak,” Cade replies while still catching his breath. 

Flinard’s eyes widened and he immediately grabs a backpack that he prepared, “Get. Them. Out. Of. Town. Now.” He shoves the backpack into Scribe’s chest. It’s filled with stale flatbread, olives, and cheese, “This is some food for you all. It should last the trip as long as you’re not pigs.”

Lia and Aurorka Ithrana walk to the door eager to get on the road and out of Greybrook for good.

 “Remember your promise to me, Mr. Thornbrush,” Lia looks into Cade’s eyes. 

Cade nods his head, “Aye! I’ll make good on my word.” 

Tal’yrra, Scribe, and Cade usher the Ithranas into the carriage’s passenger compartment. Then, the three have a small spat about who should drive the carriage. Cade shakes his head firmly as Tal’yrra explains that she’d rather be on foot. 

Scribe takes a deep breath and begrudgingly sits on the driver’s bench, “FFFINE! It’s not like I have anything good to read on the way, anyways!” 

Cade plops down beside her with a smile of satisfaction at the sight of her dissatisfaction. Tal’yrra looks up at the full moon and allows herself to turn nearly invisible again. Scribe makes kissing noises at the horses and wiggles the reins. The well-trained horses know what she wants and they start walking down the path to the street. 

******

The way out of Greybrook is welcomely uneventful unit the reach the gates. The two guard towers making the sides of the gate was well lit and there are guards visibly on duty. Scribe brings the horses to a slower pace as Cade places one hand on his shortbow and the other he keeps relaxed on his hip, but ready to grab an arrow. Tal’yrra wonders closer to the three guards standing at the gate and discovers that they are the zombies that Flinard told her about. 

“HEY! ALRIGHT! WHO GOES THERE!?” the largest of the undead guards shouts while walking out to meet the approaching carriage. 

Scribe replies, “Just merchants ready to, you know, hit the road!”

The large undead guard looks back at the other two zombie guards in disbelief and then back at Scribe, “PULL OVER! WE’RE GOING TO INSPECT YOUR CARRIAGE!” 

Lia makes an audible gasp that even the large undead guard can hear. “WHO DO YOU HAVE BACK THERE?! PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, NOW!”

Tal’yrra lets her scimitar rip into the back the large undead guard’s knees as Cade unleashes an arrow that catches the large undead in the throat. The other two zombies almost trip over themselves trying to back away and start running to the guard towers. 

Scribe sends a ray of frost crushing into the back of the head of one zombie. It lurches forward and stumbles slowing its pace. The large undead turns to find noone standing where Tal’yrra is standing. Her nearly invisible form is still too much for the large undead to understand as drives her scimitar into its chest turning it to ash. 

Cade fires another arrow at the zombie running toward the left tower and the arrow slams throw the zombie’s shoulder all the way to the fletching. It too stumbles, but its pace is not slowed. Scribe lets another ray of frost leap from her outstretched fingers and hits her target again. The zombie’s head falls off like a frozen ball and body turns to ash. 

The halfling ranger aims his shot at the last zombie, but he fails to hit his mark. The arrow embeds itself into the door of the guard tower as the zombie opens it. 

“THERE’S AWAKENED! COME HELP!” the squirrelly zombie shouts up to the top of the tower. He turns back to the carriage just in time to meet Tal’yrra’s blade and find eternity. 

One zombie come barreling out of the right tower’s door and two more come out of left tower. Scribe whips the horses to rush out of the gate and they blow past the guards. Tal’yrra makes a quick flicking motion with her wrist and her scimitar turns into a climbing hook. She runs and leaps while hacking the climbing hook into the back of the carriage. 

The three zombies run after the carriage as well. Cade shoots one down after he climbed and stood on the back of the carriage. The two remaining zombies manage to jump onto the carriage. Tal’yrra pulls herself up and switches her climbing hook back to the scimitar. This action catches the eye of one of the climbing zombies. Tal’yrra’s form ripples a little as the zombie becomes full aware of her. 

“Well, well, what do we have here?” the zombie says as he smashes hand into the carriage only centimeters from Tal’yrra’s face. The other zombie climbs up the carriage just enough to take a swipe at Cade’s feet, but misses. Cade shoots the zombie in the top on its head and the arrow barrels all the way through to hit the top of the carriage. The Ithrana women scream as the sound of the arrow splintering the wood. 

Scribe stands up while holding the reins of the horses in one hand and point at the zombie’s head by Cade’s feet. The ray of frost grazes nails the zombie in the eye and it turns to dust leaving only the arrow planted in the top of the wagon. 

Tal’yrra shakes off the shock of the zombie seeing her and boots it in the chest. The zombie looses its footing and falls from the carriage taking of damage from the rushing ground. Cade hones in on the tumbling undead and turns it to ash with his arrow. 

Scribe lets out a relieved cry, “Well, so much for an easy trip!”

******

Things settle down once the trio is on the road to Raven Nook and well past the gate of Greybrook. Lia did have to make use of the herbs that they collected for Aurorka’s asthma. The young girl breathed in the fumes of the strong tea-like concoction and then drifted off to sleep. Lia remained awake most of the night. 

Then, all three of the companions hear the rustling of the leaves in the forest to the right of them. Cade immediately picks up on the fact that, whatever it is, it is stalking them. They leave it alone, but the a hour goes by and the rustling doesn’t stop. 

Tal’yrra still making use of the full moon and her ability to hide in plain sight walks into the woods towards the source of the sound. She manages to sneak up on an undead archer wearing that fine pale blue tunic. It isn’t as decayed at the other zombies and it seems very patient. Tal’yrra decides to warn the others and bounds back to the carriage without trying to be stealthy. 

The undead archer snarls and the sound of it running off into the woods is apparent to the whole group. 

“What was it?” Cade asks the now visible Tal’yrra. 

Tal’yrra climbs into the carriage and opens the curtains that lead to the driver’s bench, “It was a zombie archer, but fresher looking than the ones at the gate. He was wearing the same color blue and Lia.” 

Lia gasps and looks out of the carriage window into the woods looking for her husband’s walking corpse. 

“Remember your promise, ranger!” Lia places her hand on the sleeping Aurorka and looks to the front of the carriage. 

Cade peering into the passenger box, “I won’t forget. Get some sleep. We all need some. I think Tal’yrra’s little vanishing trick scared him off for now.” 

******

Dawn breaks and Cade is driving the carriage as Scribe sleeps in the passenger box. Aurorka is the first to wake up among the sleepers. She climbs out of the passenger box through the front window and sits next to Cade on the driver’s bench. 

“Well! Good morning, wee lass!” Cade says cheerfully. 

“Morning!” Aurorka yawns and pokes Cade’s quiver of arrows, “You’re a good shot like my daddy! He was the best! Do you have any food?”

Cade gulps at the thought of having an arrow pointed at him from somewhere deep in the woods and hands the girl his pack, “Flinard said he put some food in here. Have some bread.”

Aurorka pulls out a piece of rock hard bread, “Do you have any jam?”

“Sorry, lass. No I do not,” Cade looks at the young girl trying to chew the bread. The horses come to a full stop and refuse to move. Cade whips the reins, “What gives?”

“I think they’re thirsty after all the running last night,” Aurorka shrugs and climbs back into the passenger box. 

Cade into the passenger box of the carriage and sees his resting companions, “I think its my turn to take a rest as well. HEY! Wake up! The horses need water and I’m taking a nap!”

Tal’yrra and Scribe roll out of the carriage. “I’ll watch the horses and keep watch!” Scribe jumps up onto the driver’s bench, “You go find the horses water.”

“WHA!! I don’t know where to look! I don’t even have anything to carry it back with!” Tal’yrra complains. Aurorka rummages through her mother’s pack and produces two large wooden bowls.

The little half-elven girl giggles as she hands the bowls to Tal’yrra, “These should work!”

Scribe grins ear to ear, “Yeah. Thooose should work!”

Tal’yrra lets out an irritated grunt and walks off into the woods to fetch water. 

******

{1 Hour Later} 

Tal’yrra finds a small stream with crystal clear water. She sighs in relief and takes a cautious sip with her hands. To her delight, the water is clean and fresh. She scoops up water in the large wood bowls and stumbles back to the carriage with spilling a drop. 

Cade and Lia are awake. Cade assessing the carriage’s damage and its held up fairly well under the circumstance. Lia is combing Aurorka’s hair and humming a song to her. Scribe is still sitting on the driver’s bench as Tal’yrra shows up with the water. 

“About time! We were about to go looking for you!” Scribe balks while Tal’yrra places the bowls in front of the horses. 

“I don’t think I did so bad. Being that it’s my first time in the woods on this plane of existence!” Tal’yrra pets one of the horses as it drinks up the water. 

“HEY! YOU GOTTA PAY THE WATER TAX!” a man yells from down the road. He has a large smile on his face and there are two other men standing behind him. 

Under her breath Tal’yrra snarls, “Great. Another fine taste of humanity.” 

“UM! Haven’t you heard?! That tax was voted down a month ago,” Scribe yells back at the man. 

The man furrows his brow in bafflement and looks to his companions, “Who the hell does this broad think she is?”

Scribe continues to go on a diatribe about taxation and local government that exhausts everyone in earshot. The men all walk closer to the carriage as Tal’yrra and Cade draw their happens. 

The man in the front shouts at Scribe, “Okay! Alright! The fact that this is a robbery is completely lost on you! Give us your money or lose your lives!”

“Oh!” Scribe scowls at the man and cast a ray of frost and his feet. The other two bandits armed with longbows dash off into the woods. 

Tal’yrra rushes the main bandit before the crystals of ice have time to thaw and slices the man down is belly. Lia and Aurorka duck inside the carriage’s passenger box as Cade runs in a full sprint into the woods along the right-side of the road. His short swords reflect back in the bandit’s widened eyes. 

The bandit scrambles to fire a shot at Cade, but misses and the arrow buries itself into the ground at Cade’s feet. The other bandit on the left-side of the road fires a shot at one of the horses and kills it with a shot in the eye. The other horse bucks in surprise and fear as the other falls to the ground in a heap. Scribe tries to settle the horse, but it bolts forward towards Tal’yrra and the still live, but gutted bandit. Tal’yrra does a twisting backflip to get out of the way of the runaway carriage, but the gutted bandit is trampled under the rampaging horse and carriage wheels. 

Scribe manages to calm the horse and looks around for Tal’yrra. Lia soothes Aurorka as the young girl cries from all the loud noises and violent bumps. Tal’yrra runs after the carriage and tries to spot the final bandit on the left-side of the road. 

Cade lounges at his target sinking both of his short swords into the bandit. One short sword bites into the bandits bow arm and the other opens the bandit’s neck. Cade leaves the dying the bandit and runs across the road toward the last bandit. This bandit throws his bow down and draws his long sword as the halfling advances upon him. 

Tal’yrra runs after Cade to back him up as Scribe checks the carriage for damage and rifles through the dead bandit’s pockets. 

Cade buries his short sword in the remaining bandit’s shoulder and sinks his other sword into the bandit’s belly. The bandit drops his sword and falls over as he takes his last breath. 

Tal’yrra pouts from the edge of the road, “DAMN! You got the last one!” 

“We should probably get this one of the road,” Scribe janks and jerks trying to pull the bandit out from underneath the dead horse, “And unlash this dead horse.” 

Cade jogs over to give her hand and Tal’yrra start undoing the reins of the dead horse. Scribe pilfers the pockets of all the bandits and finds 15 gold that she gladly keeps to herself. She also feels her stomach begin to growl and looks to the dead bandits. 

“I wonder who they’d taste,” mumbles while saliva pools at the corners of Scribe’s lips. 

Tal’yrra and Cade barely hear Scribe’s cannibalistic thought, “WHAT?!”

Scribe straightens her posture and immediately walks out of the woods, “NOTHING! Time to go!”

******

The rest of the way to Raven Nook is uneventful and night falls as the come out of the woods on the final stretch of road. The moon rises, but is no longer a full moon and Tal’yrra pulls her hood a little tighter knowing that she won’t be able to hide in plain sight as she did the night before. The large city of Raven Nook cuts the skyline with it’s twisting towers and criss-crossing bridges connecting buildings high above the streets. 

Cade and Scribe help Lia with gather up all of her’s and Aurorka’s belongings. Lia shakes all their hands and hugs them. She pauses as she hugs Cade, “Remember your promise to me, ranger.” 

He nods his head in agreement and ruffles Aurorka’s hair. Lia looks at Scribe, “If you want to replace that horse, there’s a stable right inside of the gate here,” then Lia looks to Tal’yrra, “You won’t have to wander too deep into the city.” 

Lia and Aurorka walk into Raven Nook and hop into a horse and buggy to go stay with their relatives to start a new life.  Cade and Scribe look back to Narrowsight Forest feeling as something is watching them from somewhere within. 

Tal’yrra claps her hands and quickly puts them into her pockets, “Let’s go get that new horse!”

The trio enter the gates of Raven Nook and immediately spot the stable that Lia told them about. A sign hangs outside the stable’s opening dubbing the establishment as Flintsteady’s. A middle-aged dwarven man is forking hay into the stalls for the horses to eat and lay in. 

Scribe speaks up, “Hello, sir! How much for a horse? Some bandits killed one of our horses on the road.” 

The dwarf shoves his pitchfork into the ground, “Those lousy bandits! What ones did you run into?”

Tal’yrra answers, “They tried to say they were taxmen for the water, but we took care of them!”

“You all beat up the Water Bandits?” the dwarf smiles and points to all three of them. 

“Yeah, we killed them,” Scribe blurts out with pride. 

The dwarf can’t hide his reaction of astonishment and fear, “You kk-killed them?!” 

“Aye! It was either us or them. Now, we need a horse and in a hurry,” Cade steps in front of Scribe, “How much for a steed?”

“Well, 40 gold for some fine adventurers like yourselves,” the dwarf laughs nervously. 

The trio murmur to one another as they try to produce the gold to buy the horse. The dwarf mentions that it’s a deal as they all debate their money troubles. 

“Well, I found 15 gold off the road bandits and 10 gold when we killed Groz and that other guy,” Scribe says out loud as bounces her coin purse in her hand. 

“WHAT?” the dwarf steps back and repeats what he just heard about the death of Groz Crushoak. Scribe confirms that he heard correctly. The dwarf blinks several times and opens a stall, “Take the horse.” 

Cade retorts, “We only have 25 gold though, sir.” 

“I don’t want your gold. Take the horse and leave. NOW!” The dwarf grabs his pitchfork and stomps off further into the stable and away from the party. 

******

Cade had left the gold in the stall of the horse they took. After lashing the new horse into the reins of the carriage, the trio make their way back to Greybrook. The spooky sight Narrowsight Forest’s canopy over the road reminds both Cade and Scribe of that feeling of being watched. Still, they press on to get back to Flinard’s. 

About 5 hours go by, Scribe is sitting in the passenger box with Tal’yrra and pokes her head out of the front window to check on Cade. To her surprise she sees an extra shadow and looks up to she an arrow pointed in her face. 

The Harbinger is smiling ear to ear, “Took you all long enough to discover me hitching a ride!” 

Cade snaps his head upward and tries to draw a sword, but the Harbinger lets loose his arrow right between Cade’s legs and with an almost unseeable movement already has another arrow ready.  Scribe manages to cast a spell sending a spectral hand of cold, but misses and the hand goes sailing past the Harbinger’s head. The shot rattles Cade and he puts his up away from this sword handle. 

“What is it that you want?” Cade speaks through clenched teeth. The sight of the walking corpse of Marty Ithrana inhabited by the Harbinger reinforces his promise to Lia to salt her husband’s bones and bury them. 

Tal’yrra pokes Scribe, “What’s happening?” 

“That Harbinger guy is on the roof,” Scribe points up and slumps in her seat. 

Tal’yrra draws a scimitar and juts her head out of the side window just in time to see the Harbinger leap into the air and escape into the woods of Narrowsight. She chops her scimitar into the wood of the carriage in frustration and opens the curtains to the front of the carriage, “What happened?”

“He wants us to bring Wick to the Dawn Oak,” Cade continues to look forward with a scowl. 

“Oh! That going to be a trap!” Scribe balks from the passenger box. 

Tal’yrra spits at the ground, “What would the Harbinger want with that Unseelie dirt worm?” 

Cade gently whips the horses and gulps, “I suppose we’ll find out.” 

******

The sun rose and set before the group gets back to Greybrook. The town is dark and not even the street lamps next to the guard towers are lit. Cade slows the carriage sensing that something is amiss and then he hear’s Lt. Hatcher whistling. The halfling zombie walks out of one of the guard towers with something his hands and tosses into the air dramatically. The ball like shape spirals in the air and bounces a few times as it comes to a stop on the ground just infront of the wagon. Cade can make out that it’s Whistling’ Willy’s head. 

“So, you thought you could get rid of me by framing me?” Lt. Hatcher states with a chuckle at the end. 

“You die, tonight,” Cade draws his short swords and bounds off the carriage towards Lt. Hatcher. 

“Whoa! Not so fast!” Lt. Hatcher lets out a louder whistle and to lamp lighter zombies step out to his sides and two more zombies pop out of the woods with crossbows. 

Tal’yrra draws her scimitar and leaps toward the zombies on the right of the carriage. Scribe grabs the reins of the horses and shoots a ray of frost at the zombie on the left. 

Cade continues his pursuit and closes the distance on Lt. Hatcher. The two lamplight zombies swing at Cade, but miss the halfling ranger. 

Lt. Hatcher is surprised at the furiousness of Cade’s charge and turns to run away, but gets a short sword sliced down his back. The lieutenant lets out a frustrated cry and turns to face Cade. 

The zombie in front of Tal’yrra takes a shot with his crossbow and hits the moonshadow elf in the shoulder. The one in the left of the carriage shoots at Scribe and missed her nose just barely. 

Tal’yrra closes the gap and cuts the zombies across the chest. Scribe shoots another ray of frost and turns the zombie on the left into dust. 

Cade runs up behind Lt. Hatcher to attack and get hit by both the lamplighter zombies. He still manages to land two gruesome blows onto Lt. Hatcher. In shocked disbelief, Lt. Hatcher’s his hand crumble to dust before his eyes before the rest of is lost to the wind. The only thing that remains is his guard’s badge spinning on the ground where he just stood. 

The two lamplight zombie run in terror after seeing Lt. Hatcher get dusted. Tal’yrra lands a hideous blow on the zombie in front of her and it turns to dust. 

“Let’s get home,” Cade spits on the ground where Lt. Hatcher was just standing. 

*******

The group make their way  back to Flinard’s hobbit hole, despite the street lamps not being lit leaving the town looking particularly spookier than usual. The trio walk into the hobbit hole and collapse into some of the comfy chairs spread through the front room. 

Flinard looks out the window at the carriage, “Hey! That’s not my horse!”

******

The sound of a heavy sigh and heavy, powerful footsteps fill the air. A tall figure in fine noble’s clothes bends down and picks up Lt. Hatcher’s badge. The tall figure blows the ashes off of the badge and polishes it with the bottom of his vest. 

“What a shame! But when one door closes, another opens,” Bryce Thorn puts Lt. Hatcher’s badge into his coat pocket and turns to face a half-orc woman wearing all red leather armor adorned with gold accents, “Do your new duds fit well?” 

“I love it! I love my new toys too,” Groz Crushoak holsters her crossbow and draws rapier from seemingly out of thin air. 

******

The dwarven stableman walks slowly through the Raven Nook Dairy farm to the main barn. He approaches a large half-orc man in a dirty yellow cloak. The dwarf is sweaty and mouths the words without sound first, but takes a gulp and speaks up.

Without looking up from his ledger, the half-orc grunts, “What is it, Flintsteady?! Spit it out or get out!”

“Mr. Crushoak, sssir. I have some bad news,”  Flintsteady stammers, “It’s about your sister.”