As a relatively experienced D&D player, I have learned the lesson of not putting stuff on... but... what the heck...
After trying for an hour of unsuccessful troubleshooting, Guston recklessly puts on the magical belt they discovered, hoping that it will be the key to his redemption!
Guston jumps off the wagon and runs around in a panic. He runs up to the others in the other wagon and opens his mouth to says something. Then abruptly he stops and runs away then runs back.
On one hand, he wants help getting this this belt off. On the other hand, he is far too embarrassed to tell anyone.
On top of all that, he realizes that he’s been doubly cursed. He must find a priest willing to remove his curses as soon as possible!
And finally, he is not sure if he should refer to himself in his mind as him or her!
Vaga looks out and see's Guston running around in panic. Something is different with him, he suddenly seems to have chest muscles.. oh wait, that's not muscle. Vaga jumps of the second wagon and walks up to Guston.
"Guston, my.. eeh.. my.. eeh... Friend." Ha lays one of his hands on Guston's shoulder. "Every sword must have a scabbard. The scabbard carries the sword around all the time. The scabbard isn't sharp or is held up high in the air and swung down hard, but the scabbard, the sheath , is actually the stronger of the two. Do you see what I mean?"
With these infinite words of wisdom, Vaga decides his work here is done. He walks away with a sage-like expression on his face and returns to the wagon.
Kaled watch the disturbed girl running up and down. After a few seconds confusion he realizes what happened. "Oh, man what have you done." mutters under his beard.
"Guston. Even you can't be so imprudent. Now keep calm for a second and tell us what did you found?"
“What in blazes is going on now?!” Miranda asks as she walks over. She sees Guston and immediately starts to laugh. “Well, who is the ‘lovely’ lady now?” she asks.
"Though sweet be the fruits of patience, There are very few who like to wait. And most folks being tempted hence, Like a fish, gulp the treacherous bait."
"And once caught, 'tis hard to be free Unless sinks the fisherman's raft; Yet lose not hope, nor sad be thee, For happy are they that learn to adapt."
After a while, the workers set up a small campsite by the side of the road, and as night falls, Miranda walks up to the party and says “Alright, who wants to take the first watch?”
*Fiora, having clearly been nursin some strong drink, stumbles over to Gustonette* "Thatsh funneh. Your awfully tall for a dwarfsh. Hey Gushtahn! This dawrf looks like yuo!"
Crap, I've been picturing Guston as a dwarf for the last two pages and I habve no idea why. I mean, uh, I intended for Fiora to be drunk and get it wrong, yeah! *heh, smooth*
After much extreme panic and scratching, Guston(ette), with a blush that could be very becoming were it not for the horrible rash covering his her cheeks, explains what happened. The belt gripping above his her meaty thighs will not release it’s cursing grip.
“I don’t know what to do,” Guston(ette) whines. Unlike before, where the whine was grating and rasping, its femininity slightly changes the tone to be melodic and pleasing to the ear, which only adds to the pity and melodrama of the circumstance.
“Yeah, that’s too bad,” says Miranda as she smiles to herself. “You’ll have to wait until we get back to town to have it removed. You won’t find any priests out here. I suppose you’ll just have to grin and bear it for now. Of course, you’ll have to pay for the service when you get to town.” Miranda happily turns and walks away.
In the morning, the caravan wakes up, and everyone gets moving again. After another two days of travel, you make it back into Callus. Immediately upon entering the town, you are greeted by a group of hearty men who quickly start unloading the wagons. Nate and the workers who came with you left the wagons without a word and headed into the town. Miranda, very happy to be back in Callus, breathed a heavy sigh as the last of the materials was carried away. “Well,” she says. “That was a little more exciting than I was expecting it to be. Sill, you did the job, so I can’t complain about your work. Go see Roan at the Satchel and Anvil. He’ll be very happy to know his goods are finally here. With that, I bid you farewell.” She waves goodbye and starts walking away.
“I suggest we go to...” Guston(ette)’s voice cracks between lower and upper registers. With a dainty “ahem” to clear his her throat, and bring it into baritone, he she continues. “I suggest we go talk to Roan and get our reward. Then we need to find a priest and get this belt off!”
Just a small note to everyone, please don't mind if Ignatius criticises others in his verses. He's severely critical of human flaws, and generally serious in his disposition, unless he is upto some mischief (like when he was throwing the pebble in the muddy water). He may disapprove certain things, but nevertheless he will always help others with action or advice.
"A church or temple is our current destination, For our friend has undergone a transformation. From that cursed girdle he needs to be free, But to us, the cure of this is a mystery. A priest of a good god we need to find, Who can release him from this girdle's bind. As good friends, we must help him in deed, For a friend in need is a friend indeed."
So the party walks to the Satchel and Anvil to get their reward, they come across a small, crying child. She looks like she’s desperately searching for something, but none of the passersby really pay any attention to her, as she is not very well dressed. Her clothes are threadbare and torn in some places, and she isn’t wearing shoes.
*In the darkness of a doorway opposite, observing the scene, a small mummified gnome grimaces a lipless smile, as if enjoying the... thread that has weaved before him. It snickers to itself before disappearing back into the shadows...
Comments
After trying for an hour of unsuccessful troubleshooting, Guston recklessly puts on the magical belt they discovered, hoping that it will be the key to his redemption!
On one hand, he wants help getting this this belt off. On the other hand, he is far too embarrassed to tell anyone.
On top of all that, he realizes that he’s been doubly cursed. He must find a priest willing to remove his curses as soon as possible!
And finally, he is not sure if he should refer to himself in his mind as him or her!
"Hey! You look like someone I know!"
*Fiora runs up to her*
scratch, scratch
"Guston, my.. eeh.. my.. eeh... Friend." Ha lays one of his hands on Guston's shoulder. "Every sword must have a scabbard. The scabbard carries the sword around all the time. The scabbard isn't sharp or is held up high in the air and swung down hard, but the scabbard, the sheath , is actually the stronger of the two. Do you see what I mean?"
With these infinite words of wisdom, Vaga decides his work here is done. He walks away with a sage-like expression on his face and returns to the wagon.
"Oh, man what have you done." mutters under his beard.
"Guston. Even you can't be so imprudent. Now keep calm for a second and tell us what did you found?"
"Though sweet be the fruits of patience,
There are very few who like to wait.
And most folks being tempted hence,
Like a fish, gulp the treacherous bait."
"And once caught, 'tis hard to be free
Unless sinks the fisherman's raft;
Yet lose not hope, nor sad be thee,
For happy are they that learn to adapt."
"Thatsh funneh. Your awfully tall for a dwarfsh. Hey Gushtahn! This dawrf looks like yuo!"
hisher cheeks, explains what happened. The belt gripping abovehisher meaty thighs will not release it’s cursing grip.“I don’t know what to do,” Guston(ette) whines. Unlike before, where the whine was grating and rasping, its femininity slightly changes the tone to be melodic and pleasing to the ear, which only adds to the pity and melodrama of the circumstance.
In the morning, the caravan wakes up, and everyone gets moving again. After another two days of travel, you make it back into Callus. Immediately upon entering the town, you are greeted by a group of hearty men who quickly start unloading the wagons. Nate and the workers who came with you left the wagons without a word and headed into the town. Miranda, very happy to be back in Callus, breathed a heavy sigh as the last of the materials was carried away. “Well,” she says. “That was a little more exciting than I was expecting it to be. Sill, you did the job, so I can’t complain about your work. Go see Roan at the Satchel and Anvil. He’ll be very happy to know his goods are finally here. With that, I bid you farewell.” She waves goodbye and starts walking away.
What do you do now?
For none can surely tell
What intentions they may hold.
Shining sweet an apple may appear,
But seeing it from close and near,
Reveals the worm it doth infold.
Having trusted a deadly serpent,
Many a man did often repent,
Being bitten and dying low and cold.
Whatever Fate may have in store,
It never hurts to know more,
For one had better be as wise as bold.
Let us walk about then,
Gathering counsel from men,
And be informed of what is untold."
"Well hi! Are you a bard? I can make poetry too! *ahem* "Ice Cream Koans are nice, but I prefer icecream cones. Waddya think!?"
"They that indulge in pleasure
Without any kind of measure,
Often find themselves lost.
For a while they are gone
In a land strange and unknown,
Finding what they desire the most.
Yet it all is an illusion,
And a person is undone,
If he runs after such a ghost.
Hence, knowing this fact well,
On such things one mustn't dwell,
For great is the final cost.
To maintain one's stability,
One must forsake such activity,
For the moment gone is forever lost."
hisher throat, and bring it into baritone,heshe continues. “I suggest we go talk to Roan and get our reward. Then we need to find a priest and get this belt off!”For our friend has undergone a transformation.
From that cursed girdle he needs to be free,
But to us, the cure of this is a mystery.
A priest of a good god we need to find,
Who can release him from this girdle's bind.
As good friends, we must help him in deed,
For a friend in need is a friend indeed."
What does the party do?
"Well hello there!" *Her face beams* "Are you lost?"