Why the heck are there nooses everywhere??? (Monday Night Miserable Bastards)

I walked out of the grotto, carrying only my underwear.  My mail, shield and mace had completely melted away from the acid spewed by the demon.  I shook off my worries, and looked around.  Kojack the dwarf smiled at me as he brushed the dust off.   Funder and Rathgar must have headed back to hounds head ahead of us?  I didn't see them when we left.  Of course I was pretty beat up and tired.

As it was I barely made it back to town.

The dwarf was quite excited about some of our finds, most of the way back to hounds head he kept suggesting "we should really go to scorn and sell this stuff, I bet we can get some decent silver for it".

I was casually listening, my damn ear was still ringing from the battle.  Did he say Scorn? I guess I'll have to face the facts and at some point tell my cohorts about my past.  Not now though... I'll just carry on.

When we arrived back into Hounds Head, we met an adventuring party (who were decently equiped) they even had a wizard wearing a purple robe!

We briefly talked with them, and then headed over the mage/alchemist guy (I can't honestly remember his name, but he really dug arcane stuff, so it was our best bet).  Kojack managed to sell off a bunch of Viz (I think we made 600 Silver pieces).  I was stoked, as I need some armour in the worse way.  That dwarf he really likes to get a good deal, haggling is probably his 2nd favourite past time (bashing heads is the first).  He accounted for what we owed the other 2 members of the party. 

Speaking of, I still didn't notice them in town, they must have headed to the Inn or something?

Word around town was that a new smith might be moving in!  I guess we've been boosting the local economy a bit.  The thing is I really don't even know what the means, I actually overheard that from the dwarf.  If you asked me to spell economy, I doubt I'd be able to.   It's funny the things you pick up along the way.

We wandered over to the general merchant, and I found a really nice set of Scale mail and a shield.  I asked the trader if there was anyone in town with some artistic ability.  He pointed to his son (who was quite scared and sheepish).  "tag is quite good!". I talked it over with the lad and asked him to paint a white tankard on my shield with a blue outline (in honour of Fundars God - The Great Imbiber).   As far as pay was concerned, I was supposed to wait and see what it looked like, and then make a decision on how much I thought it was worth.  (spoiler alert, I paid the kid well the next day.  he did a bang up job).

The thirst at the back of my throat was starting to become very apparent, so we headed over to the "angry priest inn".   (who comes up with these names? I heard once about a place called the balding minotaur, and of course the extremely popular travellers inn). 

With a few coins in my pocket I decided to see if I could scope out a hireling torch bearer type.  I wound up with a wizard (or so he has led me to believe).  His name is ACTUNG, and he's a apprentice in the guild of arcane lore.  Seems like a stand up dude so far.  He drank the beer I gave him.

I honestly have no idea how we attract these wack adoodles, but we met this bloodletter guy named Traveria who was also going to scorn.  I guess safety in numbers right?

We promptly left town with this guy in tow.  I forgot to mention I recovered 2 regular maces from the grotto (well the dwarf did).  On the way along the trail we saw this huge dust cloud, bunch of super armoured knight types, a flag of "the spears of sarath" flying down the trail heading towards us.  I made like a cheque and bounced!  I ran into the forest, hoping they wouldn't notice me. 

Along the route we started discussing my past a little bit.  I left some things out, but I did mention that I had run ins with those guys and I was a bit worried that they may notice who I was.  The dwarf kindly suggested that he could "break yer nose!".  As well, I didn't realize it till now, but most of my face has pits from the acid burns. 

WACK! 

So my nose is broken now. 

Good news is, between the burns, the broken nose, and the tankard skin image, I should easily slip by these guys from now on.

We made camp for the night with another group of adventurers who were heading to hounds head.  In the morning we stumbled upon a dead body hanging from a noose, blood was still failing from the ground.   Nearby was a very eerie site.  A field surrounded with trees, all had noose tied to them, and all of the noose had been cut.....

Fuck that room. 

I made up my mind to see if I can find Gwen and touch base with her.  See what the crew has been up to.  Maybe get a little extra money on the side of need be.  Also I think I'll see if I can track down a decent brewmeister for our plans in Hounds Head. Hopefully we catch up with those other 2 characters in Scorn.

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