A scenario I prepared for a single player that was going to joign the group for the "Old World Dissonances" campaign. They all had already played a scenario where all their characters met, so I wanted to let this player have a first scenario as well, where his Halfling would meet an important NPC. I wrote this part myself, I'll publish these stories in chronological order, so although it was played recently, these events happened before the first introductory scénario.
The Halfeling had left Bögenhafen with a group of three soldiers that needed guidance for their travel to Altdorf, but unfortunately, one of them became ill, and Albrescht was forced to walk back to the city on his own.
As the night began to fall, the small man walked out of the road to prepare his camp between the trees. Of course, the roads of the Empire are unsafe, but he is quite small, and should be out of danger. As the fire started, Albrescht took out the mushrooms he had found on his way, and was about to begin cooking them when a noise caught his attention. He quickly hid between the roots of the large tree, when a large beastman and two mutants appeard in the small clearance. His heart skipped a beat when the beastman's glare met his.
"A nice meal for tonight, fellas. Get it !"
As the words resonated in the woods, Albrescht jumped out of his hidding place, running between the trees toward the road. He can hear one of the three monsters chasing him, but as he arrives near the road, an odd mist catches his attention. Something unnatural about it sends shivers down his spine, as a low whisper fills the air. A lean, horned silhouette appears in the thick fog.
The Halfeling decides to avoid the road and what's on it at all costs, and turns left, still running and still followed. He struggles to avoid the roots in the mist, and can hear something else running to his left. At least two of the monsters managed to keep up with him. He jumps out of the woods, into the misty road, and turns around, ready to face his opponents.
A mutant jumps out of the wood, a few meters away from him. Albrescht tried to hit it with his skillet, and a loud noise resonates as the iron meets the skull of the monster, but the attack barely harms him. In extremis, the halfeling avoids the vile creature's hatchet, as the second mutant arrives on the road, quickly followed by the beastman.
The latter looks around until his eyes locks toward him. In the meantime, both mutants froze, fear growing in their eyes. All three creatures remain still, staring at the halfeling, as a low whisper surrounds them all.
Suddenly, four dark and shadowy shapes fly from behind Albrescht, two hitting the mutants that yelp in pain, and the two others reaching the beastman. With a final cry, the large creature runs back to the forest, followed by the mutants, away from the small Halfeling.
Finally, taking a deep breath, Albresht turns around, only to discover a tall and thin silhouette right behind him, draped in the fog. The large horns belong to a deer skull on the humanoïd's head, and piercing grey eyes are looking into him.
"It's dangerous to travel alone." a liveless voice speaks.
Terror fills him, and he dashes on the road, jumping back in the woods, and quickly hids between the roots of a large tree once the fog seems thinner, and more natural.
After a few long minutes, he finally caught his breath. Carefully, he leans on the side of the large trunk, trying to see if the thing followed him. He sights in relief as he sees no trace of it, and leans back on the tree when he suddenly realises that it stands right next to him, as it crept by the other side of the tree, hidden from his eyes. He quickly jumps to hide on the other side of the tree, shaking.
The tone in the thing's word is low and gentle. Albrescht takes a deep breath and comes out from behind the tree to face it.
It's a human woman, wearing long grey robes, and carrying a large stick with a snake skeletton twisting around it. She is quite tall to him, and seems very skinny, her cheeks sunken and skin pale.
"You're hungry ?" the halfeling asks, before grabbing the wizard's free hand to pull her behind him to lead her to his camp, his fear suddenly dissipating as he realises that this person saved his life. But he feels her stumble behind him with a moan. Did he go too fast and made her trip on the roots ?
For a brief moment, her face shows signs of pain, her mouth slightly twisted and her jaw clenched, but she quickly regains control of her expression, and the pained scowl fades. She slowly gets back on her feet, helping herself with her staff. Once up, she starts following him, but the halfling notices that she limps.
A good meal should do her good ! She's too skinny !
As he cooks in his improvised camp, he talks with the wizard. Her name is Adélaïde, and she is a shadowmancer. He explains to her why he was traveling alone, the attack of the monsters, asking her many questions blended together. Her answers are always brief and emotionless, but he is certain that she is very friendly. Since she is traveling to Bögenhafen as well, she proposes to remain with him, as he would be safer with a wizard then on his own. He accepts, eager to have some company, and asks about her limping, learning that an injury is the reason for it. Quickly, he comes up with a nickname for his new friend.
"Here, Bambi, try this !" he sais joyfully as he hands over a bowl to the young woman. She slightly tilts her head as she takes it, as if something had crossed her mind, but only opened her mouth to thank him. She takes a bite of his mushroom stew, and he freezes, anticipating her reaction.
Finally, her grey eyes look his way, and for the first time, he can see a smile spread across her face. In fact, it is very subtle, the corners of her mouth rising very little, but his heart warms instantly.
His eyes sparkles. She gave him a nickname !
"Yes, you're right, I'm Chef now !"
A few days later, the duo arrives in Bögenhafen, where Chef quickly finds a stray dog that he wants to adopt. He follows Bambi to the milicia, where she looks at some jobs opportunities, before registering herself. She also asks for an apothicary and where to find a jade wizard in town. After taking a room at the Three Barrels for her and the halfeling, she tells him about an announcement that caught her attention earlier.
"Someone needs an escort as they go invistigate the Bögen river. Would you like to come ?"
"Of course I do Bambi !!!"
Part 2 : Is the water really the problem ?
