Jay's fantastical Fantasy adventure.

www.digital-art-gallery.com/oid/85/r169_457x256_14844_Diatala_Setting_2d_fantasy_elf_warrior_girl_woman_picture_image_digital_art.jpg
This Elf
Wearing this armor
http://pre01.deviantart.net/61a0/th/pre/i/2013/252/4/f/elvish_armor__by_kailyze-d6lnm45.jpg

Lilayen Silverstream. Young, beautiful and a skilled elven fighter. Not given to reliance upon magic, a trap some of her kin fall in to. Though practical and pragmatic in matters of combat and conflict, Lilayen has a rather large and undisguised heroic streak and a penchant to stand up for the downtrodden, even at a cost to herself. Injustices are not allowed to be tolerated by her.

Verdauga.

Stands 5'6". Short black messy hair, orange-yellow eyes. Medium build. Verdauga is kind, patient, calm, and an overall normal guy. At least until he gets in a fight. That's when his arms changed into claws, due to his inheritance. He's half-demon. Despite this, he has no problem suppressing any demonic urges that might arise within him, nor does he angst about it. While he'll stop and think if a battle is about to happen, he is no tactician, nor is he interested in leading.

What his claws look like: https://i.imgur.com/0i3dWKV.png

Shirt: http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=42458781
Pants: http://renfairshoppe.com/images/Goth_pants.jpg
Boots, (black): http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=53825512

mark

It is the afternoon of a beautiful day, and your journey has been peaceful so far.

You should be able to cover a few more miles before finding a place to stay for the night.

Though the journey has been long, the peace and beauty of the recent days has reinvigorated this motley crew of adventurers, seeking a Gnome. A peculiar mage who has reached out to the band and promised a great quest, filled with the thing all adventurers seek. Adventure, and the potential of wonderous treasures and new things to be found on the road between.

In the distance lies a hamlet, perhaps forty small homes scattered around a stone keep still under construction. Between you and the first house are fields of wheat, and cattle in pastures.

Something is amiss, however. From behind the farthest of the houses suddenly appears a two-headed giant—an ettin, wielding a broken piece of timber.

Bellowing angrily, it strikes at something on the ground, then strolls off into the woods to the right of the hamlet, stopping long enough to snatch up a terrified cow.

Within seconds, it’s lost among the trees.

Map for reference if it's wanted - https://imgur.com/WqP8WE4

Image appearance: http://img09.deviantart.net/aec0/i/2013/097/2/5/sorceress_witch_by_keepwalking07-d60tu3c.jpg (legs ofcourse are proportioned to body)

Arya is an odd woman, with weird views on how life should be taken. She has devoted her life to Light magic, both offensive and defensive, but she prefers to just stay behind and heal. Do not be mistaken, she is no holy woman, this skill was picked up out of interest over zeal. She has a better friendship with Lilayen then the rest of the party, which is usually her priority target for minor heals, but will help anyone needing major heals.

Barrek Hornguard. Raised from a long line of crossbowyers, Barrek inherited the gift of crafting crossbows and ballistas in his dwarven tradition. But unlike his ancestors, Barrek had also inherited the peculiar gift of magic. And while his calling was that of the crossbow as his long family line dictated, he deftly managed to combine this with his gift of magic.

But having been cast away by his family for his radical approach to the family tradition, and his alleged poor taste in ale and facial hair, he now travels out into the world, hoping to use his special skills to collect treasure and attain riches to eventually set up shop among those who would embrace his unique craft.

As a dwarf, Barrek's already stoic personality is amplified by his determination to see this part of his life through. He can be cynical, and a tad scatterbrained, but to his comrades he is good of heart, although he seems to identify more with the humans he strives to live among than the dwarves that cast him aside.

Lilayen has her hand on the sword sheath. Though she's relaxed as one can be after just seeing a two-headed giant lumber away to the forest.

The party could either chase after this two-headed beast, or continue on in to the village... though Lilayen has a suspicion that either course will lead them to the Ettin.

She briefly looks back at her party. In the weeks past, the relatively young, brave elf had taken unspoken leadership over the band. A fact cemented through her leadership in dealing with a Bugbear ambush, a tenday ago.

Lilayen briefly looks back at the party, and nods with her head in the villages direction. Immediatly after running a few fingers through her silver hair to fix the placement. Unarmored, dressed in tough, durable and comfortable travel gear. "We should see what this place is about."

Arya blinks as this huge monster marches forward, picking up the cow, and walking off, flinching at the thought alone of it doing what it did to the cow, to one of her party members, specifically her. She finally snaps back into reality, from her own thought process ofcourse, and looks around, gazing to her mixed bunch of party members.

She notes that most of them are unarmored, and obviously unready to fight the Ettin. Her role as healer has shown to be crucial and helpful, but nothing would be able to heal someone bitten, stomped, or thrown by the huge beast.

"Yea...that'd be a fruitful idea. I don't honestly think any of us should even think about fighting that...thing....in this condition." She says in agreement with their 'leader'.

Barrek looks up at Lilayen with a raised eyebrow and the large moustache decoration his face dancing on his upper lip as he tries to remedy an itchy nose. "You think, Lil'? I mean, I'm all good with it if you say so, but... I'll be 50 steps behind if you don't mind" he says pointing his thumb backwards with the crossbow, about 2/3rds his stature his size in hand.

"It's just a village, Master Dwarf. There's no need to fear it... even if they are all twice your height and more." Lilayen says with a wistful smile. She leads the group in. On the approach, it seems as if the entire village is hurrying out to one spot. Where the Ettin attacked.

The villagers ignore the party's approach. They are far too busy with the aftermath of the ettin’s attack: tending their wounded, rounding up panicked livestock, and clearing away the debris of smashed fences and walls. Surprisingly, though, a few villagers seem to be taking the situation in stride: Nearby, an old man is chopping up a broken piece of fencing for firewood; further on, a trio of young children is playing in some puddles—puddles shaped like giant feet.

After witnessing the attack, any villager not busy cleaning up or repairing hurry's off to the far end of the hamlet.

Lilayen tries to talk with some of the busy villagers, but she's waved away after being given a few looks. She senses a bit of hope in the villagers, at the arrival of the party. Lilayen sighs. "Something is wrong here... we should go." She points to the gathering of villagers at the far end of the hamlet. They seem to be congregating around the main road.

Upon arriving at the scene, they see a long, wide river and a bridge. Broken beyond use. The bridge they needed to continue their journey.

(psst go ask people what's happening)

Arya examines the scene. It is utter chaos, and from one creature. Amazing...yet terrifying. It does seem as though these people have done this before, which means this may not be the first attack.

Her first idea was this; lets go heal people, then I can get info out of them. This will lead her to going to the injured, already conjuring up some spells to numb pain, heal minor wounds, and other effects to make this traumatic incident all the less hellish.

Surely there must also be an authority figure around here too, maybe someone else skilled in light magic healing the wounded. Maybe they would know info aswell.

Barrek dutifully plods along with Lilayen, although as he mentioned, staying at least 50 paces behind her. Though going by the bedazzlement of the villagers themselves, and the generally vague answers, he walks off to see if he can find someone... Anyone that'd answer his questions with any accuracy.

His best bet though, would be to locate whoever is protecting the hamlet. After all, they'd be supposed to protect the area. After some questions, looking around and doing a poor excuse for an investigation, mostly aided by his reluctant nature to ask people twice his size, he finds his way to the local constable, where he walks in with his crossbow unloaded, held over his shoulder. "So... Uhm, what's all the chaos 'round these parts aboot?" he asks, putting one of his hands in his side.

Maiatias looks at the dwarf, but not down. He sees that he's armed and ready to fight. One word crosses Matatias mind, useful.

“Just about five weeks ago, a hunter told us he’d seen a giant crossing the wheat field north of the hamlet, in the middle of the night. We set up watches, but no one else saw anything. Then, three weeks ago, several people saw it, just before dawn." He pauses, swallowing. "My father managed to put an arrow in it, but that just made it angry. It killed my Father with naught but a swing of it's club, and four other men, before it ran off into the woods.

Since then, it’s been coming back every day and every night, almost as if to punish us. At some point during the day, it will come thundering out of the woods, right over there, and chase our cattle
around until it catches one. In the process, it smashes our homes, not caring if there are people inside. If we try to stop it, we lose at least one man, and end up with several wounded, while we barely even scratch it."

Another pause and a swallow, perhaps his pride. "We can't take this thing down. You and your four. Adventurers, yes?" He asks, trying to keep his hope down.

"A giant ye say? I'll pass me honest compassion on the villagers that had te lose their life over it." Barrek scratches his moustache, almost in thought as he puts his crossbow on the ground and leans on it. "I can't promise you anything, but I guess we're here to help. Just, have a wee talk with the Lil' Miss, she's in charge of our party. Hm" he says, nodding, although like his usual, cynical self he raises his eyebrow at how much of the story he'd told. But, he'd leave questions like that for later, when the Lil' Miss would be passing her judgement.

Matatias raises his arms in a shrugging manner, and as if to motion to the women on the party. "And which is that?"

Lilayen has chosen to join the investigations as well. Her first priority though, is getting past the river and on to their quest. She speaks with a carpenter. "Good Craftsmen, the Ettin broke this bridge?"

The carpenter turns away from his inspection, at the tall beautiful elf. "“He’s a strong’un, sure, but that bridge was old, too. Not surprising he was able to tear it in half like that. Still, I don’t know what Nandru thought he was doing, luring it out on the bridge like that. Probably figured it would collapse and take them both. Nandru always was brave.”

"I ache for your loss, Craftsman... but my party needs that bridge. How long 'til it's usable?"
The carpenter gives a weak smile at her sympathy. He scratches his gray stubble. "It we're left alone... you could cross in naught but three days. But the Ettin you called 'er... It'll just come round again and undo all we do."

Lilayen nods, holding her chin in the palm of her hand. She had guessed as much already. "Who can tell me more of this two-headed evil?"
"Matatias, our militia leader n' constable... but your stout companion is already inquiring with 'em. Maybe you should speak with Robin, our elderly priest. He was talking 'bout how it just didn't make sense... sneaking in here and scribbling on our walls all over then running away." He shrugs. The carpenter can say no more.

At that moment, Barrek tries to get her attention, having told Matatias to just "Wait a wee sec." so he could go fetch Lilayen. He beckons her over while making his presence clear with an "Oi, Lil' Miss, there's someone I need ye ta speak with!"

With an exaggerated sigh, Lilayen's forced to acknowledge him. She strides over. "Yes, Barrek? I had a lead on this ettin that I had planned to follow." Lilayen crosses her arms against her chest, waiting for an explanation.

She needs not wait long. Matatias speaks for himself. "Told you're the party leader so... me village needs you. The people of Newkeep can't defend themselves against such a beast... Kill it and we'll make sure y-"
Lilayen holds up her hand to stop the constables talking. "I had already decided to save this village. You needn't convince me and entice me with a promise of gold or goods. Your village can thank us, with that." Lilayan says, pointing to the broken bridge.

Matatias was taken off-guard by the woman's strong personality, or apparent mercy over not gouging the village, like some adventurers tend to. "A thousand thanks and prayers for your aid, dear Lady." He gives a smart salute and bow to the elf and the dwarf. "And to you, Good Dwarf and your companions." Matatias leaves in a hurry... calling the rest of the militia to follow him. Lilayen wonders why and where.

She shakes the conspiratorial thoughts away. "Barrek, I've a lead. The local priest has seen this ettin, at night. It always attacks in the middle of the day... but, well, let us learn more from this Robin, shall we?"

"Aye Lil' Miss, let us." he says with a nod and a stroke of his moustache. Although while they make their way to Robin, the cynic in him starts to ache again, and he looks up at Lilayen, speaking just loud enough for her to hear "Say, I'd like yer thoughts on something Lil'. Been talking to this Matatias, the constable lad, and I'll have ye know, I feel there's something dodgy 'bout all of this. For as far as I'm concerned tho', 'tis yer call." he says, looking ahead again, though somewhat uneasily pulling at the tip of his moustache.

"I sense nothing of the like." Lilayen affirms. "This is their village... and villager humans tend to be fiercely independent and proud of that. The man Matatias didn't want to ask for help, but he has a responsibility to protect this place... and if that means getting others to help, then that's it. He'll likely join us to lend a hand when we do battle with the ettin."

They arrive at the shrine. It's a building with three walls, one ten-foot wide opening to allow entrance. The shrine has no roof. Clearly it must be an old agricultural god... and perhaps merged with another faith? Symbols of traditional farming tools such as scythes and ploughs are combined with symbols of might. Shields, swords and spears.

An elderly, straight-standing priest tends to the shrine. A long path flanked by pews for sitting. The back wall is where the actual shrine and idol rest. "Priest. We were... told you had information of this ettin?"
The priest is starled and gives a surprised "Ooh!" Before turning around with a fatherly smile that's eternally on his face. "Hello, brave young heroes. I am Cardinal Robin... but if you prefer to not call me by the name of two flying animals... simply Robin will do."
"Come come, see this. It was such a strange thing... the ettin came to the village, to this shrine of Halav in the dead of night, shrouded by stealth. I was tending to what's needed for morning mass... I heard it come and hid. Oh how afraid I was! I thought I would meat Halav face to face that night." He gives a coughing laugh. "I thought I was dead when it spotted me. But it just raised a finger to one of it's heads lips, and shushed at me! Now, I wasn't one to ignore such a command. It spent the rest of that night carving at the wall... and the rest of the next night as well. I never knew ettins or giants to enjoy poetry."

He shows the spot, carved with a crude tool and a clumsy hand trying to be careful.

“ Two heads have we, but born with one.
We avenged, healed, and protected.
Our master was Mighty,
But punished we all who objected.
Heeded we the the Beastman trait,
And so by our god were rejected.
Thus, this is our fate:
One head, twice bisected.”

Faced with this peculiar situation, Barrek takes his time to look up at Lilayen with a raised eyebrow, one clearly suggestive of 'are you sure nothing is amiss?', but as he mentioned, only her concern would be his. Hoping to at least find out some more about the Ettin they'd be facing he starts to murmur the poem on the wall aloud and stands to face the cardinal while plucking his moustache "Eh... Robin was it? Do ye... Know what it means?" he asks, putting his crossbow down next to him.