Bardic Mystery Tales

Roland and the Verdant Sanctum

An adventure of Roland and Marvin

The pair strolled down the street. In the huge city, no one really noticed that one had furry, pointed ears and a black nose on a long snout, while the other had a dragon head and scaly tail. The huge city was used to seeing adventurers of all kinds.

These two were small in stature, yet carried themselves with an air of confidence. They were definitely experienced adventures. The street toughs that would normally have bullied someone that size avoided this pair. The weapons they carried hung with ease on their belts. Their attention did not skitter furtively from person to person; they looked people in the eye and smiled their "Hello."

As they passed a magazine stand the tiny dragon turned to his foxy buddy and said, "Hey Roland. Did you see the last issue of Maximilian's Dice 'n' Roll? Their Up and Coming feature showed a band of real bards from some place north of Chelsea. I think they're called Horned Mayhem. They're supposed to be the next cheese. Maybe you can find them and do some adventuring with their band."

"Com'on, Marvin," the foxy Roland replied, "They're in the wilderness around Chelsea. They'll never actually become an adventuring band, even if they are real bards. Even if they leave Chelsea, they won't make it as far as Cardisa. I'm not wasting time on them."

"OK," Marvin replied."So, have you come up with a plan to get some cheese here in Grand Argetsa? There are a lot of low-lifes in this town. What do you think about someone leaving some easy cheese out for us?"

"Easy pickin's," the fox cocked his head. "Sometimes you need a challenge. Do you remember when we slipped into Ipii and convinced that dwarf to take us out to get the umber hulk claws?" Roland reminisced. "Well, I met him at Los Prados on the way here. He wants to know when we'll be back in the area. He'll sponsor us with a real pass into the dwarf city. We'll be able to actually walk around the streets."

"That would be the cheese knees, all right." Marvin smiled at the memory. "But if you want real Dwarf adventure you need to see that guy on the island in Ogsheld Bay. He's got so much cheese you can't know."

"How did you hear about him?"

Marvin scoffed. "He's way famous. He travels with this human that seems mostly Dwarf."

"You mean he's small?"

"Noooo," Marvin's eyes got big. "He's like two dwarves tall. They call him the Ana-something. Anarchist, I think."

Roland looked sideways at his companion. "Anarchist? Do you know what that is?"

"No"

Roland explained. "It's someone that doesn't want government. He doesn't follow rules. If Dwarves do nothing else, it's they follow rules. This guy can't be an anarchist."

"Well maybe not," Marvin said. "But the guy's weird. OH! And the Dwarf has an elf step-daughter." Marvin bounced his eyebrows.

"You and peoples' daughters," groaned the fox.

"Yea, but you remember that sheriff in Derbyham don't you?"

"Yea, she was a tiger." Roland bounced his eyebrows concerning the female sheriff and thought back to meeting Marvin in the town on the ocean. "And that patrolman, Brian Bills." Roland smirked at the memory.

"Yea, well, I passed through there recently and he is now her deputy. You can't imagine. He's still a dope, though." Marvin giggled. "You have to admit, we have met a bunch of yum-yums in our time."

"Yea," Roland laughed, "but I am glad I met you. Meeting up with you every once in a while, is always great fun. Have you seen anything recently that would make a great adventure?"

"Maybe we can go hang in Fallingsworth just north of here after this," Marvin said. "But, what are we going to do here? Can we scare up some cheese? Is there any hope?"

"Well," Roland said. "I see we have a couple of advantages. First, no one expects someone like you or me to actually have magic so my bardic spells will be a surprise to anyone we have to deal with. Second, we're smaller than most others and will be able to slide through some small spaces. Third, kobalds make the coolest traps and Rube Goldberg machines, and you're one of the best kobalds I've met!"

Marvin straightened a little bit. Then he hunched over and reached into a basket of swords as they walked past an armorer booth. "Keep your paws to yourself," growled the proprietor in draconic.

"Oh, hold your cheese," Marvin snapped back in his native tongue. He lifted his chin in the air as if he were insulted.

"You told him," Roland said.

"Thanks, buddy." Marvin smiled. "So, what about that wand shop back there? Think we could get in there?"

"Nah," the little fox shook his head. "The guy was shiftier looking than your grandfather was."

"My Granddy did some pretty shifty stuff, huh? Well, how about Magic Carpet Mike?"

"I don't think he's a good mark. Do you really want a carpet? How about that hotel by the Eastgate?"

"Traverna?" Marvin asked. "It's so run down, I wouldn't even go in there for a drink, much less to find some cheese. Let's skip that one too."

"Hey," Roland perked up a bit. "Let's take a rest under a tree in this park. Who would have thought you'd find a great place like this in such a huge city."

The two companions strolled to the gate. The large green space had a wall around it and the gate looked rusty, but functionable. Old brick-lined paths led away from the gate, but they were filled with grass and looked unkempt. Not far into the park, dark trees and undergrowth swallowed the paths. A sign on the wall read, "Verdant Sanctum."

The two cautiously slipped through the gate. With hands on weapons they advanced a few steps to a small copse of trees and then stood back to back in a practiced motion. A bird sang in the distance, but no small animals seemed to run in the trees.

"You think it's safe?" asked Marvin.

"So far, so good," said Roland.

They sat and pulled some meat rolls out of their shoulder bags. They ate their dinner and spit a bottle of Meade that Marvin had. Roland took out his violin and began to play a new song trying to perfect its melody.

"Play me your song," Marvin signed. "I love to hear you sing that."

Roland began to play the bouncy tune and sang loudly…

This song is Roland's song

I sing it all day long

It can go on and on

Would you like to sing along?

He repeated the ditty a couple of times and Marvin joined in by chanting.

Marvin is the man

He can do what no one can

Tho' he's little, he can stand

You can count on Mar-van.

They continued until Marvin had to stop from gigging so hard he fell over. Roland put his violin back in his sack.

"I love to hear you sing that," Marvin repeated. "I wish I had a song."

"Well," Roland started, "we'll make you…"

Marvin turned to see what had happened to Roland and looking past his shoulder saw a small humanoid with wings floating over the path near them. She had green skin and red hair. As she fluttered in place a snowstorm of sparkles filled the air around her, raining onto the ground.

"Your song was very powerful," the pixie said. "You must be a great mage."

"He's a renown bard," called out Marvin. "He's sung around the world and back. Can he sing something for you? ...for some cheese?"

"Marvin, calm down," Roland whispered annoyed. To the pixie, "Can we help you?"

"I have been looking for a hero to help me rescue my brother. He has been taken by some goblins that live in the dark heart of the forest near the temple. We should not have been teasing them, but now I must save him."

The pixie looked apprehensive. "Can you help?"

"Yes!" Marvin jumped up and the pixie disappeared. "Wait! My friend is a real bard, with magic and everything. I am a trained fighter." He drew his small rapier. "This is Whisker, he is magic and has dispatched many foes!"

"Pixies don't care about that," Roland snapped. "They are peaceful."

"But she wants heroes." Marvin looked around for the pixie to appear. "OK. I'll put it away." He sheathed the rapier.

Roland called into the air, "We can try to help. We don't even need a reward."

"NO Cheese!?" Marvin gulped

The pixie appeared behind them. "Good heroes, I can offer but small reward. I just have to rescue my brother."

"OK," Marvin sighed. "We're in."

"That is wonderful," the pixie said. She spun up into the air and sprinkled dust on the two adventurers.

"Is this stuff supposed to help us?" Marvin asked."It's getting in my eyes."

Roland scoffed, "It makes you go to sleep so they can steal your treasures. Do you even have a brother, pixie?"

"Yes, I do," she quickly replied. "And he does need rescue. My dust can also make you fly. Think a happy thought."

Roland began to hum his song again. He gently lifted off of the ground. He smiled and said, "This is pretty cool."

Marvin watched and said, "I'll think of cheese!" But nothing happened.

"Happier," the pixie said.

"My grandfather!" Marvin's eyes sparkled at memories of his grandfather. He remembered his shiftiest tricks and laughed out loud. Suddenly, he soared into the limbs of the tree.

"That's it." Cried the pixie. "Now, hold my hand and I'll take you to my brother."

The trio sailed through the tree canopy as the sun sank behind the huge city. Marvin gasped in awe as they went deeper into the Sanctum. Roland yelped in quick shots of pain as he failed to defend his face from twigs. They approached a pyramid in the center of the Sanctum and the pixie headed for the ground.

"They are through there," she pointed at a clearing on the other side of some bushes.

In the gloom sat six goblins around a small fire. In a cage hanging from a tree branch was a small cage with a pixie standing on the bottom, holding the thin bars. The goblins were each looking at a small pouch of something that sparkled.

"They ripped off his wings," Marvin whispered in shock. "How will he fly?"

"They'll grow back in two days," the pixie said ignoring Marvin's reaction. "Goblins do that just to laugh at us."

"Do they do that often?" asked Roland. He crouched forward to better survey the clearing.

"They try to catch pixies all of the time. They think the pixie dust will give them powers." The pixie turned to look at Roland who was pointing at Marvin floating. "Oh! Well, I gave that to you. The goblins want to take the power and they can't."

"Is that what's in the bag?" asked Roland

"Yes," the pixie replied. "I'm worried that they're going to do more to my brother because we were pelting them with oodledoodle berries."

"Oooooo. Cheeese." The pixie and the fox turned. Marvin pointed at an open chest with small gems and silver pieces. "Let's not forget that."

They watched as four of the goblins laid down to sleep. The other two were still snarking at the Pixie in the cage and throwing dust from the bag on each other.

The clearing had pine trees on one side and a few apple trees where the two guards stood. Leading away were several paths with brambles along the edge. The fire still blazed in the middle of the clearing.

"All right," said Marvin. "I've got the plan. I wish we had a Great Dane, they would be great bait for this trap. However, we'll use Roland since he is closest."

"Great," Roland replied rolling his eyes.

Marvin stopped and pointed at the pixie, "What's your name?"

"Emelioratia. I make situations better, you know, ameliorate them. My brother is Breagandward. He is good at defending against bad guys."

"Ok. Emel, you will hide in the pine tree across the clearing. You will open the cage for Breag. Roland will tie back the lower branch with some rope so that it will be ready to strike. I will boobytrap the path across from us with some spider silk I have. I'll make trip lines and sticky web traps."

Marvin continued, "When we're ready, Roland shoots an arrow hitting those two giant apples above the guards. The apples will fall on the guards and knock them out since they are giant apples. Then Roland runs across the sleeping goblins and past the pine tree and the tied branch.

"The goblins will wake up and see Roland. They will jump up and chase him down the path we boobytrapped. To give him time to avoid the traps, I shoot an arrow through the fire and into the rope. The arrow will be rigged to catch fire and it will burn the rope. With the rope burnt, the branch swings back and hits the goblins.

"The branch will knock down the goblins and make them mad. In their fury they chase Roland and trip on the spider silk getting caught in its stickiness. Roland circles back.

"Now the clearing is empty so, I run in and grab the chest of cheese. Emel flies over and opens the door for Breag. He jumps to the ground and runs with me out of the clearing. Then, we all disappear into the woods."

"Are you sure about this?" Emelioratia asked. "It seems a bit complicated."

"Don't worry," Rolland assured her. "Marvin's traps are legendary. Let's sneak over and tie that branch while Marvin sets the spider silk."

Roland and Emel skirted around the clearing while Marvin began laying the spider silk.

"Now a small distraction for the guards," Roland said. He sang,

"My friend I need a favor,

It's just a little labor

So form yourself and jump

Over there to give them a bump"

His unseen servant formed in the middle of the clearing and scuffed to the guards and lightly bumped one in the shoulder. The bumped guard snarled at his companion but received another bump from behind. Both guards turned from where Roland stood in the shadows of the pine tree.

Roland and Emel pulled a branch back out of sight of the guards. Roland tied the rope to it and staked it to the ground. "All set," he said. "Go hide in the top of this tree. You'll have a straight shot from here to your brother to the path we're using to escape."

Emel flew to the top branches of the tree. Roland stepped back into the darkness and was greeted by Marvin having finished with the spider silk. They moved back to the other side of the clearing.

"OK," said Marvin. "As soon as they are under the apples, do your thing."

They only waited a few minutes and the guards moved back to their original positions under the apple tree. Roland took two arrows and shot two apples with great accuracy. He started to run across the clearing.

However, the apples were not as heavy as Marvin had counted on. Although they knocked the two guards down, they did not knock them out. "Hey! Who are you?" The one touched by the unseen servant yelled to Roland. The others sleeping on the ground began to stir before Roland reached them. He tripped over the last one as they sat up.

"Grab him," the other guard yelled. Roland found himself in a forest of arms. He managed to somersault past them and ran for the path. Marvin nocked his arrow and let loose. It sailed through the fire as he planned, the special tip catching. It flew past Roland missing the rope and hitting a bundle of dry pine needles that burst into flames.

"MARVIN!" Roland yelled. "What now?" This fire blocked the path toward the spider silk trip lines.

Marvin jumped from the cover and nocked another arrow. The four goblins were rushing Roland. Marvin took aim at the lead goblin.

"Marvin the Marvelous

You I inspire

You'll make your best shot

And we will retire."

Marvin's arrow hit the lead goblin square in the back of the head, breaking on his helmet, but knocking him over. The three others tripped over him and Roland easily dodged around them. He headed back toward the campfire.

Emel had taken her cue and had soared down to the cage to open the door. She found a lock securing it and couldn't budge it. "It's locked!" she called.

Roland turned toward it and sang,

"Tricky trick

Snicky snick

Picky pock

Open lock"

The hesitation gave the guards a chance to move up to him. A yell from behind them made them hesitate. "Aha!" and Marvin landed beside one and stuck him in his knee with Whisker. "Take that!"

Roland turned to see if Emel was successful. Although she opened the cage, Breag stepped out and fell to the ground. "He's still drunk from oodledoodle berry wine," she called.

"You didn't think that was important for us to know?" called Roland. Then he remembered his unseen servant. "Servant, trip every goblin."

The four sleepers were finally untangling themselves and running toward the fire. The unseen servant stuck out his foot and the first one again went down with his three companions tumbling on top of him.

Marvin used Whisker to defend himself from the two guards as he backed away from them and toward the campfire. When he felt the flames directly behind him he pricked the guard he stabbed on his nose. They lunged for him. Marvin backflipped over the fire and the two guards fell into the hot coals and yelped in pain.

Roland ran over to check Breag. "We have to carry him," Emel cried. "He can't even run."

"Fine," said Roland scowling at the pixie. "Can you get the chest?"

"Yes."

"When Marvin gets here, dust us again and grab the chest. We're flying that way out of here." Roland pointed toward a bright light coming from the city surrounding the park. "Marvin, give me a hand."

Roland grabbed one arm. Marvin on a run grabbed the other. The pixie covered them with dust. They looked at each other and said as one, "When that bunch fell the second time." They lifted off the ground and into the trees.

The pixie struggled to lift the box but followed her heros into the tree tops. Roland again took twigs in the face as Marvin tried to maneuver then toward the light marking the direction of escape.

Breag began to stir in their arms. His waking making it hard to fly in the desired direction. As he came full awake, a large branch loomed out of the darkness straight ahead of him. With a voice full of fear he yelled, "Guys?!" He shook off Marvin just as the two adventures passed on opposite sides of the branch. Marvin grabbed him again.

"Don't worry. We won't let you fall."

Emelioratia led them over the treetops to the edge of the park. They landed near a gate. The two adventurers sat the sobering pixie on a rock.

"Well," said Roland, "we got your brother back. We didn't kill any goblins, so they shouldn't be too mad at you."

"And," added Marvin, "we got some cheese." He held out his hand for the chest smiling widely.

"But," the pixie smiled sheepishly, "you said I should have the chest."

"No," Roland scowled, "I said carry the chest."

"Well, It was heavier than I thought. I had to lighten it a little."

"How much?" Roland and Marvin asked together in a flat tone.

Emelioratia gingerly opened the chest to show two silver pieces in the bottom. "It was sooo heavy. I almost dropped it."

The fox and the kobald sighed. "We'll take the silver. You keep the chest." Roland said.

"Thank you so very much." the pixie smiled. "I really appreciate it."

The pair each picked up a silver piece and slid it into a pocket. "Try to stay out of the oodledoodle berries from now on," growled Marvin. "And don't mess with other people's cheese!"

"Let's go," Roland started out of the gate.

The two were soon singing and laughing as they entered the lighted streets. Even if the treasure was small, the laughs had been big. And, wasn't that why you adventure anyway?