Friendship is a Dangerous Bond even in the best of days.
After the events with The would be king of wolves and safely returning Red home The Party Decided to continue on our way to Levoca Village and Get our Payment from Mother Molvor. On the Way we came Upon Some Rather Large Trees, Arranged oddly to resemble Fingers Reaching up into the sky. As we Got Closer, We hear The Cries of an oddly Familiar Voice. I Walked closer and Sure enough I recognize the man... Another Tabaxi Actually. He was Hanging in a cage, suspended from one of the trees. It was my old childhood friend Mateo The Rat with the Hat, The one responsible for all my woes. I remember the day he betrayed me and screwed over. I was the Hero of San Martin and All of That Down The Drain Because of this Pendejo! I was filled with Rage and I berated him and Question Him why did he do that. He Asked for my Forgiveness saying several months ago he'd been caught and confessed to everything he'd ever done and Cleared My name along with a signed confession. I didn't Believe any of it, he already betrayed me once, why should I trust him now. NO! He was coming with me to San Martin and he was going to clear my name. He said it was too late, for He was dying and would like Some Leche to ease the passing. He also said a man named Jorge came and Broke him of Jail and together they came to the Margreve to Look for me, Mateo Left him in an Inn Somewhere in the Margreve with the Signed confession before venturing alone in the Forest by himself and that's when He got Captured, beaten and then Caged to be Eaten Later. (yes you heard me right, The people who Caught him were Cannibals, But is it Really Cannibalism if your not same Race? I'll let you decide but then again Mateo a Snake.) I finally relented Handed him Some Half Spoiled Milk, Fuck if I'm Wasting my good Leche on This Fool. After He Drank He Handed me a Cat head with odd Carvings and a Really Nice ring. He Passed not soon after. Great How the hell am I gonna clear my name now?! Anyhow I need to find This Jorge fellow and Get the Signed Confession.
After Awhile we Decided to explore the Area a little bit more. We found the bandits in one of the Hallows in the Largest tree. We Dispatched them Quickly due to no small part to my Heroics. After the Party Settles I decided to Bury Mateo's Body and Procure as much useful Items I can Find in the Place fully intending to share them with the party of course.... Eventually.... When the need arises..... One of these days. That night a bear walked into the camp and dropped of some charcoal, the party believed it was gift from the Margreve. Lavaell being the selfish Dolt threw the charcoal into the fire and then threw his shield in after. He Pulled out his shield and said the shield is now blessed by the Margreve and will protect him better now. I tried the same thing with my Rapier but no such magic came. I'm Fine with this, I don't want anything from the Margeve anyway. The Sooner I'm Done here the better.
The next Morning we continued on our way and eventually Made it to Levoca village. We met up with Mother Levoca and she payed us our due. We chatted with her a little bit until the conversation got to a particular employer that was looking for colybiscus and that she sent an individual to find some but that individual disappeared. I mind Remembered that Hijo de Puta Eagehrt, Thinking it may have been him. Any how mother Molvor told us to go see her sister Jedza Nansa if we want to know more if the employer. She Lives in Whistlehollow. After that I looked for Jorge Around Town didn't find him but I spread the word. The Party Then met up and I was surprised to see Sir Oink Dressed in armor, Then we proceeded to make our way to Whistlehollow.
That night we knew Eluine will turn for it was his First Full moon and he begone to feel the call of the beast. He wanted to venture off into the woods but I argued it was too Dangerous for the Party and to anyone else and that we should just tie him down until he finishes his transformation. That was when He ran into the woods, I and Stevnar tried to chase after him but Lavell, I don't know What he was thinking, cast a spell that made the ground rough and thorny, making it impossible to follow. He said with such a smug Expression that He was a free creature of the Margreve and should be left alone. Never Since Mateo Betrayed me did I wanted to Stick a Dagger to Someones heart so Badly than I did this Moment. I have never killed anyone in cold blood ever, It's always in self defense, in defense of others or the Pandejo really Deserved it but Lavaell with his veneration of the Margreve, His Stupidity and his disregard for our lives and the lives of innocents is starting to make me question if I should just this once break my rules and just end him. Needless to say with the Howling in the woods and my seething Anger I found it Hard to Sleep that night. Lavaell is a Moron and a threat to our lives. Ala verga Lavaell!!!
The next Morning Eluine walked back into the camp Covered in blood, clothes torn and no memory of the previous night. I hope Nobody Got killed for Lavaell's Lack of conscience. The Bastard. We continued on our journey and Came upon the Village of Wheedoon once again. I checked with the Orphans to see how they were doing, I was glad they were doing well Chairo wasn't around though, I told the orphans that a was looking for a man named Jorge and to let me know if they heard of such a man. I then Checked with the Inn if he was there, sadly he wasn't. We resupplied and Continued on our way.
On our way to Whistlehollow we came upon a curious sight, A cat staking a raven. I was rooting for the cat but the raven flew off and the cat missed its mark. (I felt her pain) Then the cat walked up to us and talked. (Yup... The Margreve is an odd place.) She said her name was Lesharrkk and she was a griffon and that she was polymorphed by wizard and driven off her nest on a tower. She wanted us to come and rescue her eggs before some bugbears sold them off or they hatch on their own. We agreed. We Heroes after all... Well all Exempt Laveall.
We came upon a tower and Looked for a pond that Lesharrkk mention that leads to an uderground basement that we can use to infiltrate the tower. We found the pond and to our surprise found a pouch full of coins and that when an odd creature from the pond attacked us. It looked looked humanoid but had really sharp looking leaves all over it, we handled it no problem. I then Decided to do a little reconnaissance and climbed the tallest tree closest to the tower I can find. I played with the thought of just scaling the tower from the outside but I scrapped that plan when I saw the massive force of Bugbears surrounding the Tower. I came back to the party. Stevnar wanted to do an infiltration mission with only few people sneaking in. He said will go to help with the swimming part, then Eluine volunteered to go as well, I would too but I hate water. (Its a Tabaxi thing.) Together they plunged into the water and disappeared.
Only to pop up again a few Minutes Later. Apparently there was some Animated Statues that attacked them when they tried to get pass. The whole group decided to go, including me despite my unfavorable opinion on water. I mean I knew the Party will be lost without me so I decided to come with no arguments. We plunged in and the water was cold and cruel. It Attempted to drown me the whole time. My Life Flashed before my eyes and I swore to who ever god looks out for me that if I make it through this I will be better person and never steal any more. I Started to Blackout and realized the Gods were not Listening. Then My head broke the Water and I took a Long breath Of Air. I Pulled myself out of The water and into dry land. I swear I Will Destroy Everyone and Everything in this world if its the last thing I do.
We came into a dark room and saw the Statues. They were just standing there and not doing anything. Almost as if they were guarding. Dodgy suggested I go up a floor and investigate. I still very much wet bravely advanced to the next floor with Eluine who decided to join me. I came into the next floor and heard some voices talking behind a door to my right. I relay this information to Dodgy when He cast the message spell. I then Investigated the window to my far left. I saw Some Patrols passing my and some encamped bugbears looking the other direction. I say to the message spell that I was going up and that they shouldn't worry. I got this. I saw my chance and I took it. Exited the window and started climbing up the tower.
Now I'm the best sneak in the land so I was very surprised when as I begun my climb up they spotted me. Dammit someone else in the party must have made noise that alerted the guards, That moron Leveall most likely. I dunked inside one if the closest windows above me. There was a table and ladder that went up. I was about to hide under the table when the first bugbear came down the ladder and spotted me. It was then that I made a decision. Alarms were already sounding off, bugbears spotted me, this whole tower will be swarming with enemies soon. Now was probably the only chance we going to get to get the eggs. I Exited once again through the window, A barrage of arrows came. One of them Hit their mark. I gritted my teeth through the pain and climbed. I reached the top of the tower a peaked into one of the windows. There was a huge Ogre woman Guarding the eggs staring back at me. I skirted away from the Window to avoid her reach. That was when The Storm of Arrows Came. I dodged probably at least a hundred of them but the few that hit me were enough. The Last thing I remembered as my vision darkening was the ground quickly rushing towards me and the feint thought at back if my head telling me that I may have Failed.
I was Suddenly back in San Martin. It was a long journey but here I was, in my hand was a Piece of Paper, The Confession I got from Jorge. As I entered the town, the people recognized me and word spread. The Niños from the orphanage came to see me, the common peasants from the streets came and they all Hoisted me up, Here I was their hero returning from his long journey back home to clear his name. They Paraded Me across the streets until they dropped me off the mayors office. I thanked the crowd and I entered. When I entered the office the mayor had his back towards me. I walked confidently and slammed the confession on the table. "Here is Your evidence!" I said "This should all prove it was not my fault. My Name is Cleared". "Really? Are you sure about that?" Came the Voice of the mayor. His voice was Familiar it wasn't the voice of the Mayor I remembered. He turned around and it wasn't the Mayor I remembered. "Doesn't look like it to me." Said Eagehrt as he Picked up the papers from the table and burn't with a fire he conjured from his hands. "You..... You should be dead!" I Said in Shock " I saw it, I killed you!". He gave me the best Smug Grin I have ever seen He them Yelled. "Seize Him!". Suddenly Guards Broke in, Thought the doors, the windows, out off the trapped door on the floor. They all came trying to hold me and cuff me. I managed to Break free of their grasps and fight them off long enough to break through one off the windows and escape, Eagehrt's Laughter echoing behind me.I Ran and Ran. I don't know for how long but eventually cobbled streets gave way into shrubbery and I was running through trees. I was back in the Margereve. I kept running, then I heard a howl coming from behind me followed by some rustling and breaking branches. Something was Chasing me. Something was hunting me. I doubled my pace until I came into a clearing and I saw Laveall standing in the Far end. I screamed for him to help me but he just stared at me with cold dead eyes. He cast a Spell and Pointed at the grounds beneath my feet and suddenly thorn bushes and roots sprouted out off the ground wrapping and entangling my legs so I couldn't run any more. "There is no escaping it." Laveall said "The Margreve Demands what it Demands. It will not be Denied." I felt some breathing behind me and I looked back saw the most terrifying creature I have ever Seen in my Life. It was an Unholy mass of both wolf and plantlike features standing nearly eight feet in Height with the bleach white skull of a deer for a head. I can tell this was Eluine's Were wolf form. I tried to get Away but the Roots held my legs tight. I couldn't Move. The Creature Reached down and Grabbed me, Lifting me up and Tearing my legs out of the roots. It Brought me unto his maw and opened it. I let out a blood curdling scream as the Creature Devoured me Whole.
I Woke up with a start. I was wrapped up in bandages and was sore All Over. "Ah Your Awake." Stevnar said as He Finished Bandaging my Leg. "How long was I out?" I Asked. "It's The next Day." He Replied. "Did we get The eggs?" "Yeah" and Stevnar proceeded to tell me the rest of what happened after I passed out. It was the Morning and Breakfast was being cooked over the fire and Dodgy was Handing some Jerky under a blanket taking care to keeping it cover up. I was guessing the eggs have hatched and the party was taking precaution not to be seen. I few Moments Later a Griffon flew and landed at the camp. It was Lesharrkk. She Thanked us for getting her eggs and keeping her babies safe after they hatched she then grabbed the blanket wrapped bag and flew off with them. A few Moments later she came back and gave some Items she claimed she got from a wizard she hunted and eaten. She thought they would be magical and be more useful to the party than her. Unfortunately none us can tell and figure them out. She Thanked us and then flew away not really helping us figure out what our "payments" actually do. After awhile the party thought we can probably run into someone who can Identify the items for us on the road to Whistlehollow. We finished up our Morning Routine, packed up our bags and got back on the road to Hell. And it was Hell Especially for me with my Body so Sore and Injured. Fresh waves of pain shot up my whole body for every step I took. I wasn't going to do anything like that again and maybe I should stop relying solely on my own unbelievable skills to deal with problems and instead rely more on working with the team to achieve our goals. Perhaps.....