Lions Raiding Ophelia

The humans Ricardo and Tui were breakfasting together in the back part of Freelancers Tavern, and Tui's face reflected (possibly feigned) dismay at Ricardo’s (possibly dramatically inflated) tale of woe about the abnormally intelligent rats attacking Kowiri tavern and also his own person.  As they were talking, the Rain sagani Nahele and the newest Freelancer, a Cloud elf named Elwin, joined them.  These latter two were asking if this kind of work was normal for Freelancers, as perhaps they should re-think what it meant to be an adventurer.

Ricardo Monroe, Adventurer Extraordinaire, did not let on that he also was wondering the same thing, but instead pointed out that not all adventures seemed heroic at the time.  To illustrate his point, he suggested they go visit Arnari and get another mission right then, and noted that even if it wasn't as heroic as they wished, it would pay well.  So up to Arnari's they went, although Tui had started writing in a notebook.

The best stairs to take to Arnari's office are in the public tavern.  As they ducked through, a young Rock sagani woman with her hair dyed a gritty chartreuse and cyan blue rose from the bar and followed them.  Of course this was Shimni, having been stood up by her dad, a caricature of whom was displayed on the back of her hoodie.

Anyhow Arnari's office wasn't much changed from the last time everyone was in it, except it was.  The papers were still stacked on her mahogany desk, but the piles were different.  The chairs were still in two roughly semi-circular rows, but they were each in different locations.  Even the musical instruments on the shelves were not in exactly the same place.  Arnari was at her desk, but her harp was leaning on the desk, and she looked like she'd just received some news.

Nahele grabbed a chair at the right end of the front row.
Shimni slouched into a chair in the back.
Ricardo located a chair which had a back that narrowed towards the bottom, spun it around, and sat on it.
Elwin, somewhat distracted, just grabbed the chair closest to the door.
Tui, who was writing on the inside of her strange bagpipe-shield, looked around to find a chair with a writing desk attached, and sat in that, then moved her notebook from the bagpipe-shield and put it on the writing desk without missing a beat.

Arnari pulled out 4 pieces of paper, then read off the missions non-stop.

• Hippogryph hunting – House Aldous still desired hippogryph eggs, 100 eagles/egg; you can trade 10 eggs for one hippogryph.
• Pollution still needs to be kept under control.  So as long as you don't get too close to the wizard's tower, you can go find something and make it not be a problem anymore.  100 eagles/person + an uncommon potion each.
• Ophelia – take care of lions, which are still a problem for this small farming village.  100 eagles/person.
• Track down where the rats were coming from, that were messing with Kowiri Music & Tavern.  100 eagles/person.

While not surprised at the last mission, given the conversation that led them up to get a mission, the Freelancers were not thrilled about it.  Tui paused her writing and looked up.

Tui:  I'm pro-hippogryphs, because money; if not, pollution.  But, I'm okay with all of them.
<Tui resumed writing in her notebook.>
Elwin:  rats, to follow up; or hippogryphs.
Ricardo:  lions are the most heroic.
Nahele:  do we need to followup on the rats within a certain time frame?
Arnari:  I don't think so, if it was useful at all, it will stay useful.
Nahele:  but, we don't know if we didn't just fully drive them off anyhow
Arnari:  I can probably convince Martin to pay for a cohort of Freelancers to guard for 5 days or so.  Then we would know, or not.
Tui <stopped writing again>:  now I'm curious
Nahele:  it was real weird, they were not acting natural
Ricardo:  they don't understand Trade
Shimni:  granted, rats don't
Ricardo:  they didn't take
Arnari:  so, what do you want to do?
Shimni:  whatever
Tui:  what do you think would be coolest?
Shimni:  whatever
Nahele <recalling from the Bardic Conservatory>:  Ophelia is famous, for the Earth elemental

Ricardo polled people's preferences on the missions:  2 for Lions, 2 for Hippogryphs, and Shimni was the tie breaker.  She considered Ophelia, and the song.

Shimni:  enh, lions sound cool
Arnari <consulted paper>:  so, Sinéad Willowsteal, Mayor of Cliffgate, is the mission sponsor.  In Ophelia, you want Routh and Enbu Girikima.  You'll be walking, so it's 3½ days from here.

Everyone seemed well-equipped for this journey, but Nahele picked up 6 days' worth of rations, and thinking about lions, she also got a standard set of leatherworking tools from the quartermaster, which included a skinning knife.

It was a lovely day for walking, and the Freelancers headed west out of Cliffshadow, following the road that descended to the central plain of the skylith.  Shimni flew over them on her sparkly griffinfly, Damsel.  Also occasionally flying about was Hui Hui, Tui's owl familiar, the smallest owl any of them had seen.  The city gave way to fields, which started to have more wild between them as the day passed.  The road was far from deserted, with carts and caravans going in both directions.

At the end of the day they got to a point halfway to Cliffgate, where the wild had started including copses of trees.  A quasi-organized campground was here, with caravans taking spots, and vendors catering to their needs, including a variety of street food.  Nearby, an inn was under construction, perhaps ¾ -finished, not quite able to house travellers and certainly not ready to stable all the beasts of burden and mounts.

The campground was the next best thing to a settled area, obviating the need to keep watch against hostile wildlife.

Ricardo set himself up near a central fire, and recited epic poetry to entertain those who wished to listen.
Tui wandered into the trees, and spent some time trying to play her bagpipes.
Shimni circled through the camps, looking for any wizards from whom she could learn ritual spells.  Unfortunately nobody in the other camps was a spellcaster.
Elwin stayed with their camp, he was studying spells.  Perhaps Shimni should have asked him instead.
Nahele didn't do anything special.  Rearranged her gear, mayhap, now that there were leatherworking tools to include.

The next day was damp and chilly, with a bit of a drizzle.  Nahele found it perfect walking weather, but the other Freelancers perhaps found it a bit damp.  Regardless, they made good time, and arrived in Cliffgate before dark.  They got rooms at The Hippogryph's Wing, then headed to the common room for food and drink.

Ricardo recited more epic poetry, "The Dance of the Cat."  As he did so, Tui circulated around the room, trying to hit up people with magic so she could copy spells into her spellbook.  She found no wizards, but she did find bards, waiting their turn.  Tui glanced at Ricardo.  He did not look magical, but he did look enchanting… she left a rose in his tip jar.

Nahele nursed a pear cider she'd bought for 2 cats, and listened to the bards.  Her mother was an instructor at the Bardic Conservatory; but Nahele kept any critiques to herself.  Shimni had a couple of ciders, and was Ricardo's biggest fan, cheering and such.  Nobody else in the common room was quite so vocal in their appreciation.  Elwin also nursed a cider.

The next morning, the Freelancers tracked down Sinéad Willowsteel, the Mayor.  She was happy to see Freelancers had come to deal.  She explained there were several lions, and she had no information regarding their exact whereabouts.  She also noted she would be happy to pay if they stopped by on their way back to Cliffshadow.

Ricardo:  are they attacking anywhere other than Ophelia?
Sinéad:  not that I have heard
Nahele:  have any people been hurt?
Sinéad:  just cattle, thus far
Tui:  have you heard of this being a problem elsewhere on Duquesne?
Sinéad:  not really.  Lions are native to Duquesne, so it's not terribly unheard-of; but this is the first I've heard of they're being so persistent.
Tui:  so, they've got a taste of beef
Sinéad:  it would appear so.

The Freelancers headed west on the road, and found themselves leapfrogging a caravan.  At the end of the day, they and the caravan ended up at a well-used camping site.  Similar to the halfway point between Cliffshadow and Cliffgate, vendors were also set up here, selling food and sometimes items one would have missed by now on the journey.  Halflings from Haven were selling sausages; humans from Lakeview were dishing up fish stew; and a more mixed group from Three Rivers were selling noodles.

Ricardo bought fish stew for everyone, it was actually quite good.  However Tui didn't eat it, instead she bottled it.  Ricardo and Nahele both gave her strange looks for this choice, but Tui was preoccupied, and in the end forgot to eat at all.

The next day was only partly cloudy, and those clouds were high up.  The thalassa Rocha was visible, still a prime away from conjunction.  Late in the morning, the Freelancers came to a little road leading north, and after maybe a half-hour more walk they found themselves in a town of 10-15 houses, with a single street.  A general store of sorts was in the middle, and fields fanned out like pie wedges, the closer ones growing food, the further ones for grazing.

Asking in the general store, they got directions to the Girikima house, and strolled over there, Shimni flying overhead.  The house was a decent size, with a kitchen garden, sheds, and a barn further off.  Ricardo knocked on the door, which was answered by a middle-aged human woman, in standard peasant garb.

Woman:  can I… help you?
Ricardo:  are you Routh or Embu?
Woman:  Routh.  <face cleared.>  You are Freelancers.
Ricardo:  we are.
Routh:  Embu is in the field, you shouldn't go now.
Ricardo:  why not?
Routh:  because then it will be dark, and you won't get dinner.
Ricardo:  heavens forbid we miss out on your excellent hospitality.
Routh:  we have a beef stew
Tui:  where do you get your water?  …for irrigation.
Routh:  a couple of wells, and a stream nearby <gestured northward.>
<Tui looked disappointed.>
Nahele:  are you still having any problems here?
Routh <nodded>:  still having lions eating cattle.  It's why I can offer beef stew.  <hesitated> They seem to be enjoying the hunt; they kill a couple, but only eat one.
Ricardo:  have you seen them?
Routh:  I haven't; too close to the house.  Embu has, or neighbours.  Embu has seen tracks.
Elwin:  you said, enjoying the hunt too much?
Routh:  yes.
Nahele:  are you sure there's not riders on the lions?
Routh:  haven't seen any
Tui:  cats are well-known for hunting things for funsies

Routh came outside and led the Freelancers to the barn to put their things, noting the hayloft would be comfortable.  When she saw Damsel, she reacted badly:  that was too big for a dragonfly, much too big; but also colourful and sparkly, which was attractive and intriguing.  Then, reminding them of dinner, she returned to the house.

Tui announced she wanted to spend this time working with Ricardo, combining bagpipes and epic poetry, and a moment of silence ensued, as Elwin, Nahele, and Shimni all looked at each other.

Nahele:  beautiful music together.  In the hayloft.
Elwin:  this is starting to sound really suggestive.
<Tui winked.>
Ricardo <defensively>:  no, we're going out to the field.

And so they did, leaving Nahele, Shimni, and Elwin looking at each other.  Tui and Ricardo went probably a quarter-mile out to the field, to not disturb the others.  Shimni settled down and read a book.  Elwin resumed studying spells.  After a short while, Nahele also pulled out a book, small and black, and read it with interest.

The following morning was overcast and grey, although the clouds weren't thick enough to make it dark.  As the Freelancers rose and readied themselves, Embu pointed them towards the lions.  He was clear that he was uninterested in leading or accompanying them.  So, they took off in that direction.

While they were still walking past the fields, Shimni flew low on Damsel, and was talking to Tui.  Tui was very excitedly talking at Shimni about the duet act she and Ricardo were working out.  Shimni kept glancing at Ricardo, who was in the front, and asking Tui who had which parts in the act.  <Narrator voice:  not that she admitted it to anyone, but Shimni was kind of consumed by a crush on Ricardo.>

The Freelancers kept walking, with Ricardo and Nahele up front.  The farmlands and fields gave way to more wilds:  bush, scrub, tall grass.  Tui was watching out for lions, so Shimni had started flying higher, but the Rock sagani was still more interested in watching Ricardo than looking for lions.  Elwin had dropped back a bit; he'd remembered something from the artificer's manual he'd been reading, and forgot about the lions and had pulled the book out to read as he walked.

By Daystar zenith, the overcast had resulted in ground fog.  The Freelancers could see up to the high overcast, but not really a lot along the ground.  Shimni's vantage was also pretty useless, she saw nothing on the ground unless she was directly over it.  They slowed down and started watching for tracks, and were quickly rewarded with lion tracks.

They stopped, but there was a big growl.  A very big male lion padded out of the mist.  He was beautiful, with shiny fur, and a glorious, wavy, silvery mane.  He shook his mane as if he was Fabio.  The Freelancers heard (and Ricardo & Nahele could barely see) two gorgeous lionesses circling them in the mist.

Tui said to Shimni, "and, here's a lion!" and pulled out a vial of alchemist's fire.  She sent Hui Hui to fly over the lion's head, hooting.  He twitched his ears and looked as the tiny owl flew back to Tui.  Then she flipped an eagle coin into the air and as it disappeared, 3 darts of pure force flew at the lion:  it was Jim's magic missile.  Two of them struck, and Tui moved behind Nahele, and only then saw the lioness on the left.

• The big lion roared, his voice deep and reverberating.  All the Freelancers were frightened by it except Shimni, but her spider familiar, Igor, was also frightened.
• Elwin, who had fallen behind, couldn't see the big lion.  But he did see the lioness on the right, and tried casting toll the dead on her.  The cheerful tone fell flat in the mist, and the spell had no effect.  Elwin stayed put.
• The lionesses attacked!  The left one ran and leapt on Ricardo, tearing him with her claws, and the right one leapt on Tui, who cast shield to avoid the claws.  Ricardo kept his feet.
• Shimni couldn't see the big lion either, but she saw the lioness attack Tui.  She cast hex on this lioness, then followed it up with an earthen blast, slamming her with force and a touch of necrosis.
  • Damsel flew in, and bit the same lioness on the back of the neck.  Then she flew back up.
• The big lion backed up, then bowed, and wiggled his butt, as cats do.  He then leapt at Nahele, clawing her badly.  She kept her feet.
  • The big lion followed up with a bite, but he was clearly expecting her to be proned, so he was off his balance and critfailed, and fell over on his side.
• Nahele drew her kukri and slashed the lion, but mindful of her own injuries, she then drank a healing potion.
• Ricardo cast bane on the lions.  The lioness who'd slashed him looked to shake it off, so he followed up with silvery barbs on her, to make sure the bane would stick.  He transferred the luck to Nahele.
  • Ricardo advised everyone that they were best served attacking the lioness with hex, and then he moved around behind her.  The uninjured lioness tried to bite him, but missed.

Tui was surrounded by lions, and had no spells appropriate for creatures close to her person.  After looking at how they were arrayed, she walked around the injured lioness to stand between Ricardo and Elwin, and then she cast caustic brew on the injured lioness and the big lion.  The lioness avoided the acid, but the big lion did not.  She had Hui Hui distract the uninjured lioness, then fly up to join Shimni.

• The big lion roared, his voice deep and reverberating.  Hui Hui, Igor, and Elwin were frightened, Nahele almost was, but the luck from silvery barbs helped her fend it off.
• Elwin cast toll the dead on the lioness with hex, but again the spell had no effect.
• The lionesses attacked Ricardo, who was bleeding.  (Now, Nahele was also bleeding, but they left her for the big lion.)
  • The uninjured one circled, then leapt on Ricardo, a crit that would have been devastating, if Tui had not had a scroll of silvery barbs handy and used it.  The lioness missed and Tui transferred the luck to Nahele.
  • The injured one also clawed at Ricardo, but she missed.
• Shimni sent an earthen blast at the injured lioness, and the rock and necrosis killed her.
  • The Rock sagani could see the big lion now, and transferred her hex to handicap his strength.
  • Damsel tried to do a fly-by bite on the big lion, but failed because of his fluffy mane.
• The big lion, still irritated by the acid from caustic brew, rolled to get it off him.
• Nahele struck the big lion with her fishing spear, marking him as a favoured foe.
• The big lion clawed Nahele again, reopening her wounds.
• Ricardo traced a rune in the air, and pushed it at the big lion, almost like blowing a kiss.  It floated to him carrying dissonant whispers of woe and travail, and the big lion felt the fear, but he also incurred a sharp pain in his head, and died before he could flee.
  • Ricardo turned to Nahele and Shimni, saying "This lioness has the same weak points as the last one."

Hui Hui gave Tui a look, then dove from above to distract the remaining lioness.  Then the small human gave the lioness a pet, applying shocking grasp as a critical hit.  Reeling from the lightning, the lioness did nothing as Tui backed away and put herself on the other side of Ricardo.

• Elwin cast toll the dead, and this time the necrosis took, hurting the lioness.
• The lioness tried to bite Ricardo, but missed.

Shimni transferred her hex to the lioness, then sent another earthen blast at her.  She succumbed to the force of it with the additional necrosis.

A male with 2 lionesses… Nahele, injured or no, started looking for signs of cubs.  Ricardo provided bardic inspiration and Elwin cast guidance, so she easily found the den, and confirmed it was just these three lions.

"Alas," Ricardo exclaimed, and Nahele looked at him sharply, wondering if he was being facetious.  She couldn't tell.  But she announced she would skin the lions.

Again, Ricardo provided bardic inspiration and Elwin cast guidance, so Nahele was able to get a nice pelt from the lioness they slew last, and a decent pelt from the big lion despite the acid, but the other lioness was hurt too much for a very good pelt.  Nahele, grimly practical, also pulled the teeth and claws for later use.  By the time she was done, the Daystar had burned off the ground fog.

The Freelancers then returned to Ophelia, arriving in the late afternoon to report to Routh and Embu that the lions had been taken care of.  The Girikimas were happy to put them up for a night and share another excellent dinner of beef and potato stew.

The Freelancers departed Ophelia the next morning, and made good time back to Cliffgate, camping once along the way.  Before they left for Cliffshadow they checked in with Mayor Sinéad, who was happy to learn the problem had been handled, but a bit intimidated at the size of the lion pelts they'd acquired.

Sinéad:  these are some big-ass lions.
Ricardo:  that's what you hired us for!
<The Mayor paid them the mission fee of 100 eagles each.>
Sinéad:  make sure you give Arnari the 10% fee.

They assured her they would, and headed back to Cliffshadow.

• Tui → lvl3!  scribe wizard2, artificer1
• Nahele → lvl 2!
• Elwin → lvl 2!