Elsewhere in Tal'Dorei
Part 2
[Spoilers: Critical Role E40 onwards]
Sharpe walked through a path that led through a forest. From Krutos' description, it appeared to be the trail to the old man's farm. It was a well maintained stand of trees with very little brush on the ground. He thought he could see buildings far ahead. The three horses followed behind. They were starting to look more lively.
A large figure wearing a tan shirt appeared ambling down the path towards him. It was obviously Krutos. The big farmer would be easy to recognize in most places.
"Sharpe! What do you know?" Krutos greeted him.
"Were you waiting for me?"
Krutos pointed to the farm. "You can see the main road from the farm. I saw you coming some time ago. Your horses look worn out."
"Not my horses: I took them off three marauders," Sharpe said. Krutos looked surprised.
"Where?"
"Probably a day's walk from here. I've got news, and I want your friends to hear it, too," Sharpe resumed walking towards the farm buildings.
"There's a reason I wanted to meet you here on the path. Alinys raises wyverns and they run free on the property. They don't like strangers," Krutos said.
Sharpe stopped and looked at him. "The old lady is breeding wyverns like cattle?"
[At the farm]
Flazier's farm was a nicely laided out homestead. A wooden cottage faced visitors coming down the path. Behind it was a large barn and several smaller sheds around a flat, open yard. Chickens were clucking somewhere on the property. A cowbell occasionally rang in the distance.
Krutos led him behind the barn to an open lean-to set up as a small blacksmith's shop. A thin, wirey looking human wearing a leather apron was tending to a fire in the forge. The man looked intently at Sharpe as they approached. Flazier had a firm handshake when Krutos introduced them.
"Krutos, bring another bucket of coal," Flazier handed over a wooden pail. The big man wandered off through the sheds.
Flazier poked at the fire in the forge. "You're not from around here, Sharpe. How do you know Krutos?"
"I met him Emon when I first came to Tal'Dorei. He wanted to go out adventuring. We've stuck together for a couple years," Sharpe said.
"I've sold timber to Krutos' father. Known them all for some time."
"I never met his people."
"It's a big family," Flazier said. "Where are you from?"
"Across the sea. I've been a soldier since I was not much older than Toburd. A while back the King needed someone to take the blame for something..."
"And you were the one he picked," Flazier finished the thought.
Sharpe shrugged. "There weren't many others to pick from, and I'm not from noble blood."
"You're welcome to stay, Sharpe," Flazier said.
"I appreciate that. Is there anything I can help with around here?"
"Right now, no. Krutos and I are going to work on a project of his," Flazier started banging around in his collect of tools.
A tall woman with short, white hair came around the corner of the barn. She was wearing a rough shirt, long brown skirt, and boots. Krutos followed behind her with his bucket of coal.
"Alinys, this is Krutos' friend Sharpe!" Flazier said.
They shook hands. "How do you do, ma'am?"
"Pleased to meet you, Sharpe," Alinys smiled. "Are those your horses?"
"I wouldn't say they're mine, ma'am. I took them off some dead marauders."
Alinys was surprised. "Marauders? There hasn't been trouble around here for a long time!"
"Well, I think there may be more trouble coming. I don't know what news you get here, but I've been down around Emon," Sharpe said.
"If the news will hold, we'll hear about it at supper," Flazier suggested.
Alinys turned to go, intent on her chores. "Come help me feed the wyverns!"
"It's alright," Krutos said. "They're tame like dogs."
Alinys grabbed up a chicken from the yard and led Sharpe to a clearing in the woods.
"This is my breeding male: King Swirly!" she said, proudly.
Alinys was indicating a large, grey wyvern with a pattern of dark green all over his body. The animal was sitting on his tail with his head held high. His eyes were half closed as he was enjoying the sunlight in the clearing.
Alinys was holding the chicken by the feet. The wyvern heard the chicken sqwaking and flapping its wings. He livened up and came stomping closer. It made Sharpe uneasy, but the huge creature had so far not made any threatening moves.
Alinys handed Sharpe the chicken. "Throw him this! He likes anyone who feeds him."
Sharpe swung and threw the contrary chicken at the wyvern. The chicken bounced once and began flapped its wings. King Swirly's head snapped out and consumed his lunch in one bite.
Sharpe was astonished as the huge beast stood in front of him chomping on the bird. Feathers were flying out of King Swirly's mouth. The wyvern made a weird sound like a cough or sneeze and more feathers belched out.
"The feathers don't agree with him, but he won't eat anything that he doesn't catch live," Alinys said.
King Swirly lumbered up to Sharpe and stood his ground.
"He wants you to scratch his neck!" Alinys said.
King Swirly sat majestically with his head high, resting on his feet and tail. Sharpe reached out and scratched along the neck of the huge wyvern. King Swirly started making a deep throated, rumbling sound.
"He loves that! Watch out: sometimes he goes to sleep and falls over!"
Sharpe stayed and scratched the folds in King Swirly's long neck until the beast slowly laid out on the ground for a nap.
[Supper Time, The Farm]
The wooden cottage was built around a large hearth and chimney that heated the entire building. One side was a large kitchen and the other half divided between a bedroom and sitting room. Behind the house was a root cellar for storage, a stone water well, and a large mud brick stove.
Everyone sat around the kitchen table as Sharpe told them what he heard on his trip towards Emon. The city had been attacked by a group of dragons and mostly destroyed. A red dragon named Thordak was dominating the surrounding area and demanding tribute. Refugees who escaped the disaster were wandering the countryside looking for somewhere safe to hide.
"You met the three men a day away from here?" Flazier asked.
Sharpe nodded. "I had the feeling they were taking advantage of the situation to rob people."
"'In chaos, fools thrive'," the old man quoted.
"Did you get into the city?" Alinys asked.
"No, I started hearing news a few days south of here, and only went another half a day past that," Sharpe said.
"Let's have some wine! Toburd! Bring the wine jug!" Flazier ordered.
"Do you have anything planned tomorrow?" Krutos asked Sharpe.
"Nothing."
"I'd like you to go meet an herbalist called Goburr who lives nearby. I think he may have a small job going," Krutos said.
The dwarf boy shuffled to the table with a gallon earthenware jug. Flazier poured everyone a cup of wine.
"I saw Carruhlia in the village. She was taking money from some gullible farm boys. Does she ever visit here?" Sharpe asked.
Krutos nodded. "She brings chickens and eggs twice a week."
"Sharpe, did anyone put up a fight in Emon?" Alinys asked.
"There's a band of heroes calling themselves 'Vox Machina.' They made some resistance. Some folks say they ran like cowards and left the city to its fate. Others are saying this 'Vox Machina' is the reason the dragons came in the first place."
"I've never heard that name before," Flazier said. Krutos shook his head in denial.
"Neither have I. There is no denying that Tal'Dorei is in turmoil. Best to keep alert for trouble," Sharpe advised.
"Folks, we have some concerns to think about!" Flazier said.
