The Six Mighty Adventures Miserable Adventure
Chapter 3
Just as the sun started to set they began descending into the low lands and entered a quaint little village populated by mice, moles, rabbits and other creatures garbed in simple cloths. The locals were at first afraid of the six filthy menacing looking creatures with bug skull heads, plant cloths and wielding bug parts as weapons. They could be easily mistaken for marauding savages at first until they recognized them as the being of the same people as the noble Sir Bob.
They were greeted by the villagers who warmly welcomed them. The villagers exclaimed "You are of the same people as Sir Bob. The six adventurers were told that Sir Bob is traveling with Sir Jeepea to join in a great battle and departed yesterday morning.
Alas they have our only spare lizard mount and our stores are low from the celebration we had with them so we have little to offer but simple hospitality. We do however have two of his wonderful magic healing berries for your wounds, please take them. The good berries were the size of a whole coconut needing two hands to hold but they did heal most of the party's wounds.
As the evening went along simple soup, giant nuts and bread filled the six hero's bellies and oddly familiar music was played by the locals while they sat beside a warm fire wrapped in blankets as they relaxed. They were going to have to settle down for the night in the barn as the only two bedrooms usually available were taken by two villagers who had gone into labour.
As they started to nod off they began to hear the birthing cries of the villagers coming from next doors upstairs. Unfortunately their plans for sleep went to naught as a distant eerie shriek cut through the night.
The local's told the tale of creatures lurking in the night that were drawn to the newborn and would try to swap them for changelings. The tale turned out to be true as the birthing of two litters of new born on the same night was certain to draw in the shadowy creatures.
The party decided to forgo their sleep as they stood guard in the rain to prevent the snatcher creature's evil acts. Loro the thief stayed upon the roof guarding the windows and watching for aerial intruders while Tulo the cleric was inside reciting prayers and blessings over the two families. Ani the wizard kept watch outside the room's doors while the other three and the villagers patrolled outside of the building carrying torches and simple weapons or clubs.
Through the night the sounds of the baby snatchers were heard nearby and glimpses of eyes filled with ill will would be seen around the building peering in from the darkness. It wasn't until the dawn approached that the things gave up trying to enter the building as their shrieks faded into the distance.
Come the morning they found that the grateful villagers had scrounged through their possessions but could find little left after gifting Bob with what decent spare items they had.
The village seamstress had reworked course grain sacks into serf like plain tunics after hearing of their furless modesties. Another had heard of their soft feet and over the night made rough woven sandals for the party. Another made conical rain hats of woven plants to give some relief from the continuous rainfall. Better clubs had been fashioned by locals and given to these dedicated loyal followers of Sir Bob. The craft people did manage to work a few holes into two of the better fitting bug body carapaces and provided rope to tie them on. Finally a sac filled with two days of freshly baked travel biscuit was also donated.
The villagers could not find any more ripe berries nearby that Ransarn the ranger could turn into good berries so the party of six hoped to find some as they travelled.
Just as they were about to leave Squire Hammy arrived at the village intending to return the two borrowed lizard mounts that had been lent to Squire Hammy and Sir Bob. Squire Hammy thanked the villagers for their use and apologized for their hard use and will need some rest., and then he informed the six adventurers of Sir Bob's fine health and his doings including his retrieving the magical Tabard of Truth from enemy raiders.
They departed an hour later than planned that morning moving along the low lands trail with their belly's still full from the morning porridge meal as the rain clouds continued to give a light rain that slowly soaked them as well as the land around them.
They came upon the remains of a giant spider along the trail; its burrow lair was nearby with the cover torn off. Bobs trail went in and out of it. Loro found it had a few remains of previous victims down inside of it but nothing else was found as it had been cleaned out by Bob. Later they came upon a hacked up giant millipede alongside the trail and later swung around a giant earth worm that was moving slowly across the trail.
They finally came to a cliff were the trail went down to join a main road and Squire Hammy pointed out the signs of recent combat with the raiders. A pile of burnt bodies marked where the trail joined a road. The drizzle was slowly washing away the blood stains that marked the fighting on the hill side and some searching reveals the overlooked body of a rat with a rough cloak, baggy pants and leather armour along with two bronze daggers and a bronze short sword. Nearby in another crevasse was a crude light crossbow along with a quiver with five bolts.
The tracks on the crude road showed almost all of the recent tracks including Bob's trail marks went in one direction which squire Hammy said led to the people's army encampment.
As the afternoon went on they encountered a disorganized band of rats under a dire banner that charged at them upon first sight. Some were already wounded and they proved no challenge to the six annoyed heroes. The group found three more cloaks, two more rough leather armours, four more bronze daggers, two bronze short swords and another light cross bow with twelve bolts. After the party equipped the new gear Ransarn the ranger and Ghengis the barbarian still kept their bug jaws and mantis claws weapons, carapace chest plates, bug head helmets, pointy bug sword bits and for Loro the banner as his trophy.
Later that day they started coming upon travelers going the other way who at first appeared frightened of the six savage looking adventures until they were informed by Squire Hammy that they were friendly and were looking for Sir Bob and showed them that the six were the same species as Bob.
The travelers said a great battle had happened just the day before and had been a glorious victory for the free peoples. They had nothing but praise for their hero Sir Bob and were touched that his helpers were seeking him.
Thankfully the drizzle finally came to an end almost like a sign from the gods of the good news.
As they continued into the early evening they encountered more travelers going the other way who had the same news until they reached the remaining few thousand or so of the people's army encamped around a town. On the far side of the small town they noticed a large column of smoke rising up into the evening sky where they had been told the battle had occurred.