Wardens of Heroes Gate

The Roven’ris Sisters in Silverymoon

] Silverymoon is quieting down for the day as you both make your way through Southbank to the Lady’s College. You are two hours early for your meeting with the High Priestess of Selune, known by your teacher simply as Abbiree. You are on your very first mission outside of your monastery in the High Forest and Abbiree is to be your very first client – arranged by your teacher from the monastery Lady Aeri.

Leely] “A high priestess of Selune! Oh I am so excited to meet her! She is surely beautiful! And wise! And powerful! And beautiful!” I say to my sister.

Ileel] “You said that…” I respond, with a slight sneer. It is my habit to be annoyed with my sister and her habit, apparently, to not notice my irritation. “What, I wonder, does a high priestess need with a bodyguard? Would she not provide better protection for us than we for her?”

Leely] “She is doing us a favor you know!” I say as I dismount from Aylan, my Dire White Wolf.

Ileel] “She is doing our Lady Aeri a favor… but, you are not wrong, we shall benefit from the arrangement. I think I am just finding it… uncomfortable… being outside of the forest. So many people and buildings and noises… and so many stones placed in place of the ground.” My nervous energy compels me to keep an active watch on everyone around me.

1d20 Perception 16 +6 = 22

] You perceive no threats to yourselves directly. You do notice a pickpocket target and proceed towards a human in fine long robes, his shoulders draped with several satchels and a stack of things in his hands.

Ileel] I am tempted to put a stop to the petty crime, but as a stranger here in Silverymoon… I hesitate… and let it happen. I just mentally note the thief’s appearance in case I need to recall it later.

] The street thief sweeps by the man with his arms full and appears to have been successful in nabbing something from one of his satchels. She is young looking, possibly human from what you are able to see. Her brunette hair is long and braided and is dressed as well as most others you see around the city.

Leely] Obvious to where my sisters attention went… I just continue on… “Yes… it is strange… but also exciting! We knew this day would come. I may have been the only one of us looking forward to this outside phase of our training, but I am glad this day finds us together. If our Wild Queen would have us be protectors of the forest – we can only learn so much about it threats from without while hiding within it.”

Ileel] “After years of training inside the High Forest – a big city like Silverymoon feels like we have landed in some other planet in some other dimension.” I also dismount and stroke the forehead of Nalya – my Dire Black Panther – as I continue looking around at Silverymoon.

Leely] “Yes but can you smell the yumminess of the food here in this city!?! Speaking of food… we are a bit early for our meeting with the High Priestess… Would you be hungry?”

Ileel] “We have only had cold rations since we left the monastery… Hot food would be welcomed, and you are right about having the spare time, so let us eat”

] You follow the heavy smell of cooking meats and spices into a market area where there is an outdoor eatery. Shadows are nearly stretched to their full as you sit down at one of just a couple of open tables. There are hanging lanterns overhead being lit by a young half-elf girl. You hear the sounds of a busy grill area behind a short natural wall made of branches tied together.  Looking around you notice that most of the seated patrons appear young and quite comfortable and you assume this is a regular spot for students of the Ladys College and the other Conclave schools in Silverymoon. You also note a table of four drunken humans which seem somewhat out of place compared to the other patrons. They are loud and brash and disrespectful of the place – ruffians or worse you assume.

Ileel] I position myself at the table so that I can keep an eye on these ruffians. I also keep my bow across my lap under the table rather than placing it on the ground.

Leely] Somewhat out of character… I happen to notice my sisters suspicion and decide I share it. I position myself similarly and watch.

] One of the group calls for more drink. The half-elf which was lighting candles drops what she was doing and somewhat nervously moves to attend to them. Another half-elf, an older looking gentleman, approaches your table.

] “Welcome to Gil’s Garden. I am Gilval. Tonight we feature our famous Dragon-Roasted chuck-cut, a River-Fish Stew, and as always, Gils Garden-born Soup. If you are interested in drinks, we have a clear well, an amber well and a mighty ale made right here in Silverymoon. Also, we still have a small stock of a very fine Icewind Mead. What can I bring you young ladies?”

Leely] I smile at Gilval… “The soup sounds wonderful! Is that bread I smell baking? I would like some bread too please.”

Ileel] “Meat please. What exactly is meant by “dragon-roasted” by the way? Do you have small dragon in the kitchen?”

] Gilval chuckles… “No no … it is just a special blend of peppers and spices that give our chuck-cut a nice kick. Do you like spicy meat? I can always add a little extra if you want to make your eyes water.”

Ileel] “I suppose there is only one way to find out whether I do like it.”

] Gilval says “Coming right up!” as he turns and rushes back to the kitchen. Meanwhile, the volume seems to have increased over at the table of Ruffians. The nervous serving-girl is bringing another round of ales. As she is placing them around the table, one of the drinkers makes a loud boisterous gesture with his hands, knocking the drink out of the servers hands and into the lap of another drinker. He reacts violently and back-hands the young half-elf girl, sending her flying to the ground. Most all of the patrons saw what happened and the eatery grows quiet for a moment.

Leely] I leap to my feet in her defense. “Hey! That is not going to be ignored!” I go help the half-elf to her feet. “You bonebags! Pay your tab and be on your way! Now! ”

] The Ruffian(1) who smacked the server begins to laugh with stupid exaggeration. “Look mates! This little ear-pointer thinks she can order us about!” Another Ruffian(4) stands and draws a sword.

Leely] “Well blades it shall be! It would seem you do not care to see the morrow! Come then, let us fix your manners for good!” I step out of the eatery and into the roadway away from the other patrons and draw my Serpier sword from its scabbard. With a thought of will, my flowing white silk robes draw in close, becoming skin-tight so that every curve and crease is apparent. It feels like a thin coat of paint on my body, allowing me to move with full agility.

] Roll for Initiative

] As Leely steps into the street, 3 of the men follow and draw swords. One of them (Ruffian2) stays behind at the table and obnoxiously goads the other three to “Go make some girly elf-paste” of you Leely. The loudest and most drunken Ruffian(1) , seeing Leely’s precise figure in slick sheer silk, gains a look on his face of startlement mixed with lurid fascination.

Leely] I take advantage of the distraction and aggress on the bully (Ruffian1) with my blade and follow-up with a well placed kick.

1d20 Attack 16 +7 = 23 [Hit] Dmg  (1d8) 4 +5 = 9

1d20 Attack 14 +6 = 20 [Hit] Dmg (1d4) 2 +4 = 6 (Total 15)

] The Ruffians (1) eyes were stuck somewhere else and so did not expect you to start your attack so quickly. As his blood is spraying off of your blade, you land a solid foot into his crotch and the buffoon folds to the ground. Tears are flowing from his eyes as groans with pain. Another Ruffian(3) attempts to attack you from behind but you sense the incoming blade and roll away deftly.

Leely] I use my Radiant Reaction in response to his failed attempt.

1d20 Spell Attack 20 +6 = 26 [Hit] Dmg (1d8 + Wis) 5 +3 = 8

] You reverse and roll back towards the attacker while sheathing your sword. You reach up and cover his face with your hand, releasing a wave of radiant damage directly into his eyes, [()] blinding him (Ruffian3).

] The fourth drunken human (Ruffian4) yells in frustration seeing the little elven girl make so little of his burly friends and he charges with an attack [()] [Nat 1 Crit fail]. He drunkenly stumbles on his way and crashes into a nearby cart.

Ileel] I shift slightly in my chair at the table and raise my bow from my lap – loosing a tainted arrow in one smooth motion towards the crashing buffoon (Ruffian4).

2d20a Attack 13 +8 = 21 [Hit] Dmg (1d6) 6 +6 = 12 +7 Necrotic = 19

Ileel] I then return my bow to my lap and continue pretending to not be involved.

] If any bystander had seen the arrow fly, they might have noticed the slight vapor trail of blackness it left hanging in the air for just a moment. The ruffian (Ruffian4) is attempting to lift himeself up by the cart as he catches the necrotic tainted arrow square in the heart. A black death wisp escapes from his gaping mouth as he falls dead. Ruffian(2) remains back at the table drinking and not really paying attention. He is laughing and banging the table in amusement as if his friends were stomping the little elf girl, still unaware of the actual outcomes.

[()]

] Leely spins to avoid the wild swings of the blinded human (Ruffian3).

Leely] I step in behind the blinded attacker, jump up onto his back and wrap my scabbard against his throat and pull.

2d20a Athletics 12 +0 [Success]

Leely] “Do you wish to live?” I ask the fool with a whisper in his ear as I squeeze my legs around his torso and yank back with both hands on my sword across this throat.

] Ruffian(3) cannot speak because his throat is being crushed, but attempts to nod repeatedly.

Leely] “Good choice, I shall grant your wish.” Then I leap down and grab the blind mans shoulders and spin him to point towards the fallen thug and I shout in his ear “Run! Run this way as fast as you can and I will allow you to live!”

] Ruffian2 overhears “Run!” but his drunken expectations override what he actually sees and hears…. He shouts from the table… “Run! Hahaha! Run ya little elvish blight!” The blinded Ruffian(3) bolts ahead and crashes over the dead man (Ruffian4) and into the cart. He realizes the corpse of his fellow beneath him and panics. Then he scrambles to his feet and sprints in a random direction away from the scene. Ruffian2 stumbles up from the table and drunkenly yells to no one in particular… “I gotta… piddle…” and he wanders back towards the kitchen. Gilvar rushes over to guide the drunk away, as if it is a thing he is accustomed to doing.

Ileel] Sensing the fray is just about ended, I get up and walk over to retrieve my arrow from the chest of the dead guy. I remain kneeling over the body as I look to Leely for a queue I know is probably coming.

] As you are walking over to the table, you notice a small crowd has formed in the courtyard to watching the scuffle. Among them, you briefly notice the thief you saw earlier. Rather than taking the opportunity to lighten more pockets, however, she too is watching the show with some fascination.

Leely] I see Ileel and smile a big smile and wave at her. Then I turn to the Ruffian(1) I kicked in the crotch – the one who started the whole thing. I place the tip of my sword at his throat. “I told you that your cruelty would not be ignored. And now I must decide if you will live another hour…  but while I think it over – look to your corpse of a friend over there.”

Ileel] I yank my arrow from the dead Ruffian and place my other hand at the throat of the human and draw his death energy into my bow.

] A black smoke begins to rise and soon there is no body, just a scattering of black ashes inside sunken leather armor.

Leely] “This is my sister! Isn’t she wonderful! I think so!” I holler over to Ileel “I think you are wonderful sis!” then I turn back. “Do you know why she does that to corpses? Well… do you!?!”

] The man has pissed himself watching the little elven girl dressed in black silk turn his friend to ash with just a touch. “N…n…no…. I don’t n..n..know!” says the fallen and frightened man.

Leely] “That is so that no fucking necromancer can come along use his corpse. We really hate necromancy you see?” I yell at him, jabbing my sword into skin and drawing pain and blood. “You know what else we hate?”

] The human cannot seem to speak…

Leely] “Well! Do you!?!” I draw more blood from his neck.

] The human stammers out…. “N..n..no”

Leely] “Okay! Then let me tell you! We hate rude shmek-drunk smelly arse-plugs being bully-cruel to eatery staff. Now! Shall I return your cruelty upon you or would you beg for mercy from a little pointy-eared girl?”

] “M…m..m..mercy! P..p..p…please” The human manages to say, but so quietly only Leely can hear him.

Leely] I pull him to his feet and drag him over to the half-elf girl he assaulted. “It is not me you should be pleading to. This is the one you were cruel to, only this one can grant you mercy now!”

] The server girl looks terrified but stands tall before him. “Allow him to live.” The half-elf girl says.

Leely] “She chooses mercy!” I yell loudly with a cheer. I lean over to the girl (“hey – we should be friends”) I say to her with a friendly voice before turning back to the Ruffian. “You sir, shall be spared! Yay! But… your coin purse is not. All of your wealth! On the table! Now! Else I rout it out with my blade.”

] He drops two large pouches on the table with the spilled ale. One clinks down real heavy like – sounding like a small fortune in gold. The other sounds more like jewels or gems clanging together.

Ileel] I pull the coin purse from the other Ruffian and toss it to Leely and then go back to our table.

Leely] “Here is payment of their tab and a large tip for your trouble of serving bullies” I give all three pouches to the half-elf girl. Then I place a hand on the Ruffian and dig a nail into the back of his neck, drawing more blood. “You sir are leaving Silverymoon now. If you ever return, this enchantment I have embedded in your neck will alert me and I will swiftly revoke the mercy! Now run!”

] The patrons that still remain go back to their meals. Some seem afraid to make any eye contact with the two young wood-elves, but a few send a smile towards Leely. A few minutes later, Gilval is placing food at your table.  He says to you “Thank you for standing up for my daughter. These kinds of problems are rare for us here in the Conclave, but never has another defended us. I am also thankful that you took the fight out into the street and spared my patrons the violence.”

Leely] “We are here to learn how to be good protectors. Was that good protecting?”

] Gilval smiles and nods “Yes indeed, it was very good protecting.” The half-elf server joins her father at your table and places the three pouches there. “I cannot accept this” she says…. “It is a fortune and I have done nothing to deserve such wealth.”

Leely] Impressed by her lack of greed, I say… “Hey, we really could be friends! I am Leely and this is my sister Ileel. ”

] “I am Mollia” the half-elf girl says. ” I am a student here at the Conclave. I thank you for standing against the brutes, but honestly I cannot accept this wealth”

Leely] “I understand Mollia. Here, at least take a few gold as a tip. Gilval, what is the average cost of a meal here? A silver or two? I want to pay everyone’s tab here tonight. It was their dinner which was so rudely interrupted. And here – give your kitchen staff a small raise will you? We shall see the rest of this put to some good.” I give an uncounted stack of gold pieces to him.

] What remains is 1241 gp and roughly 7000 worth of gems. You both finish your meals and start heading toward The Ladys College to meet High Priestess Abbiree.

Ileel] “So… Leely… what was that enchantment you placed in his neck… I don’t remember ever learning such lessons.”

Leely] “Oh, that! I suppose you would call that enchantment a “lie”. I just did not want them to think they could come back around and seek more trouble.”

Ileel] “That is what I thought! Good thinking! I little out of character for you, but still good thinking. They did leave an awful lot of wealth behind… we really should watch out backs for a little while. This much coin is worth some risk and they seem fool enough to try.”

Leely] “Should have killed them then? I thought Mollie choose well in showing mercy.”

Ileel] “We may still have to kill the fools. Let us see.”

] “I will kill them for you.” you hear a voice from behind you say. “if you want…”

Leely] We turn to see who is talking “Who? What?”

] You see a young human girl, still in her teen years, with braided brunette hair and blue eyes. Ileel, you recognize her at the street thief you saw picking pockets earlier.

] Street Thief “Not that I want to actually kill someone… but I can help you! If you want, I mean.”

Ileel] “When we need a pocket picked, we shall call upon you.”

Leely] “Hey, that was not… wait… what do you mean Ileel?”

Ileel] “I watched this girl earlier help herself to the coin of some upstanding yet heedless fellow… looked like a teacher or something. How many pockets have you pilfered since then I wonder?”

] Street Thief “My mother taught me that sometimes heroes must do things that do not appear very hero-like… Someday I will be a hero and I won’t have to steal to eat! Just watch!”

Leely] “Who knows Ileel… perhaps she is something more than a thief. She looks to me like something more than thief… What is your name friend?”

] “Kellrie” she says, “Kellrie Rosk. And I may be a thief but I take only what I need to survive. It was either steal from fools or spread myself for them… and I will never never do that. I watched my mother hate herself for it, die for it… ”

Ileel] “We are strangers here Kellrie. I apologize for judging you without knowing you or the hardships of life here.”

Leely] “My name is Leely and this is my sister Ileel. We appreciate the offer, but perhaps we can help you instead. How much would it cost for you to attend the Lady’s College here in the conclave?” I look to Ileel and seek agreement on where I am going.

] Kellrie “More than I’ve ever seen I’m sure.”

Ileel] “A hero must have skills beyond sneaky-fingers. Skills take training and much practice. We have spent 30 years training and practicing for what we want to become. Are you willing to commit yourself to training for what you wish to become?”

] Kellrie “No doubt in my mind… I will prove my mother right and good – no matter what effort or sacrifice!”

Leely] I look to Ileel. “I believe her.”

Ileel] “Are you sure you don’t want to stick an enchantment in her neck for reassurance?”

Leely] I laugh, loudly with some exageration… then I turn to Kellrie. “We have decided to trust you Kellrie, and we believe you can be much much more than a bandit picking coppers from pocket. We believe you will be the hero you say you will.” I hand her the pouch full of gems. “I don’t know how much this is worth, but it should be enough get you started with one of the schools here in the conclave.”

] Kellrie looks into the pouch and her eyes spring wide. “I don’t know what to say…”

Ileel] “Say you will never victimize another person.”

Leely] “Then say you study and train in order to protect the good in this world.”

] Kellrie “I shall never victimize another person and I will study hard and I will train hard and I will fight to protect the good in this world.”

Ileel] “She is sounding more like a hero already, don’t you think Leely? Blessings to you Kellrie.”

Leely] I hug Kellrie. “Let’s be friends when you finish with school okay? I will need a friend like you.”

] You part ways with Kellrie Rosk and head towards the Lady’s College.

Leely] “Do you think… Ileel… do you think that was good protecting?”

Ileel] “Not the normal kind sis… but I think it was the Leely-kind of good protecting. Well done seeing what I could not. I only saw a thief and you saw a friend.”

] You step inside the main door of The Ladys College where you were told to meet Abbiree, High Priestess of Selune. There are several others in the front room. One in particular notices you and begins walking towards you. She is a human about 40 years age. She is partly dressed in fur-lined leather – her full arms and legs up to her hips show bare skin except for artistic markings in an intricate vine-like design. Her boots and cloak are also fur-lined. From here left hip hangs a short sword and from her right hip a pouch with a series of scrolls strapped to the outer flap. She has long cherry-red hair worn in a single thick braid wrapped over her shoulder. She approaches you and says “Are you the Roven’ris Sisters?”