Zeroth Velkyrr The Hill Dwarf

Heading To Elara

On the next day, the trio are enjoying a nice breakfast in the guild somewhat prepared to head out on their adventure. As they are wrapping up eating, everyone hears a high-pitched yell from somewhere nearby sounding as if someone were yelling "Don't leave yet". As the high-pitched yell pierced through the air, the trio looked around, bewildered, until Varic's groan of recognition added a layer of dread. Varic, being taller than the two dwarven brothers, stands up and groans loudly, "Oh no... He's coming." As if in answer, Tingle runs up to the table, breathing heavily, "Good, Tingle made it in time for once, thank you for not leaving me behind, I needed to prepare for traveling." Tingle's outfit caught Zeroth's attention – the light scale mail, the peculiar stick on his hip, and a interesting bladed weapon on his back. The gnome inventor noticed Zeroth's gaze and ran his hand along the stock of his weapon. "Tingle made this one himself! The boom powder is hard to get at times but it will always be swingable." Zeroth gapped as he realized Tingle made his very own gunblade, rare enough to find one for sale. Zeroth's worry deepened, the idea of Tingle wielding a weapon combining both melee and ranged capabilities seeming like a potential hazard. Ardric and Varic exchanged concerned glances, silently agreeing that they would prefer not to find themselves on the business end of that deadly creation. With Tingle in tow and the extra preparations complete, the group bid a fond farewell to Thalamar. As a gesture of friendship, Thalamar gave Zeroth and his friends a very sturdy carriage with one of his horses. The horse was a beautiful chestnut-colored mare who had been cared for well. The mage waved them off, reminding them to take good care of the mare he provided, who looked at them with gentle, trusting eyes. The journey began with the rhythmic clatter of hooves and the creaking of the carriage. Tingle, seemingly unable to sit still, fidgeted with gadgets and tinkered with the contraptions on his person, occasionally letting out delighted giggles or bursts of strange humming. Varic, leaning back in the carriage, eyed Tingle and his weapon warily. "You sure that thing won't explode on us, gnome?" Tingle winked, adjusting the sights on his weapon. "Oh, it shouldn't. I made extra sure of that!"As the wheels turned and the landscape unfolded, the party contemplated the adventures awaiting them in Alderbrook and beyond. The horse trotted along, the chestnut mare adapting seamlessly to Tingle's occasional bursts of excitement. As day turned to night and the horse marched on at a mild pace, Zeroth looked over and saw that the other three friends seemed to be attempting to sleep for some of this trip. Zeroth, controlling the reigns at the front of the carriage, feels something buzzing against his waist. He reaches down, pulling his rock from his waistband and allowing it to float by his side once again. "Are you alright there? I've honestly forgotten about you today, things have been fairly calm." He asks Grimbli. "Ah! Finally, I can breathe fresh air that doesn't reek of dwarf gut. I've been buzzing for hours now to be let out." Grimbli says through the stone. "My many apologies friend. I'm hoping you aren't picking up on anything I'm not noticing." Zeroth replied, scratching his shoulder. "That is exactly why I have been trying to get your attention Zeroth. I believe we are being followed and I can still sense either someone with decent magical capabilities or more than one average creature." Grimbli warned. In response, Zeroth extinguished the lantern he was using for light and began to slowly look around, attempting to spot any unnatural movement. Without warning, the floating rock shot into Zeroth's waistband as something blunt whizzed through the air and slammed into the back of Zeroth's head, knocking him out cold. As Zeroth regained consciousness, he found himself bound tightly along with his companions, their wrists secured behind their backs. As he looked around he noticed it was still dark out, possibly closer to dawn. "Wha- what happened?" Zeroth asked. "Oh! You're finally awake Zeroth! Thanks the gods but Tingle believes we have been captured very unwillingly." Tingle replied on the other side of the cart from Zeroth. He also noticed Tingle had what appears to be some attempt at a gag to shut him up. "The gag didn't last but half an hour at most," Varic said, grinning slightly. Zeroth, shaking his head in response, starts to look around for who is leading the carriage and sees three fairly tall hooded individuals, some of the same ones he saw that night with the portal. "Well, it appears some previous affairs noticed us and have decided we saw too much and Tingle may just be a bonus runaway recaptured," Zeroth said, scrunching his face in thought. With a sense of urgency gnawing at him, Zeroth began to formulate a plan, his mind racing through various scenarios as he scanned their surroundings for any possible advantage. Meanwhile, Tingle's restless movements caught his attention. The resourceful gnome, despite being bound, was using a two-inch blade held between his toes to slice at Varic's bindings. After a few more seconds of awkward cutting and Varic looking truly grossed out, Varic's bindings slid off. As the bindings fell away, Varic wasted no time in freeing the rest of the party, his hands moving swiftly to release Ardric, Zeroth, and Tingle. Zeroth's heart sank as he realized his battle axe was missing from his back, a crucial piece of his arsenal now in the possession of their captors. Rising to his feet in the cramped space of the carriage, Zeroth scanned the hooded figures, each holding one of their confiscated weapons. His grip tightened into fists as he whispered to his companions, alerting them to the dangerous situation they were in. "This is not good. They have our beating tools." Varic chuckled quietly in response, "Good thing there is someone magically inclined with you, dear friend. Thankfully I have a spell that allows me to take back what is ours." Holding both his hands up towards the sorcerers, Varic summons multiple thin green tendrils from his fingertips that, as he flexes his hands, shoot out and around their weapons, ensnaring them in a temporary hold as Varic prepared to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. In a second after the tendrils hit their mark, Varic pulls his hands back, shouting to his friends, "Get ready! Your toys are coming back this way!" As the weapons fly back, Zeroth and Ardric jump into action, launching out of the cart, each grabbing their weapon as they do so with Tingle climbing to the driver's seat holding his gunblade towards the enemy. By now the sorcerers are well aware of what is going on and as the weapons are pulled from them, each one begins to form red ethereal swords and kite shields, arming themselves for the upcoming fight. The moment Zeroth got into position next to Ardric, his Flaming Berserker ignited with a fierce intensity, casting a fiery glow across the scene. The flames danced along the razor-sharp edges of the axe, creating a formidable and intimidating presence. Tingle, seizing the opportunity, utilized his gunblade, an unusual but effective combination of firearm and blade. Aiming with precision, he fired shots at the hooded figures from a distance, creating chaos and diverting their attention. Varic, the warlock, focused on utilizing his magical prowess to lock down his enemies with Tingle's cover fire. Drawing upon the same green tendrils he had summoned before, he sent them whirling toward the sorcerers in an attempt to ensnare them. The sorcerers, caught off guard by the sudden resurgence of the party after regaining their weapons and the relentless assault from Tingle's gunblade, attempted to defend themselves with their ethereal shields. Varic's tendrils clashed with their magical defenses, creating a dynamic struggle between the two forces as well as bright flashes of the hellish magic of the shields and Varic's green eldritch-based magic. Zeroth and Ardric, now armed with their reclaimed weapons, advanced with a coordinated attack. Zeroth swung his Flaming Berserker with precision in an attempt to push one of the sorcerer's ethereal swords away, the fiery arcs leaving trails of scorching embers in their wake. Ardric, with his own longsword in hand, joined the assault, creating a powerful synergy between the brothers. Despite the initial surprise, the sorcerers, skilled in the arcane arts, adapted to the onslaught. They countered with swift and coordinated strikes, their ethereal swords slashing through the air in an attempt to repel the advancing trio. The small clearing was alight with Zeroth's flaming berserker clashing with the magical weapons of the sorcerers and the random flashes from Tingle's gunblade. As the battle reached its climax, Tingle, utilizing his gunblade with uncanny precision, aimed and fired a decisive shot at one of the sorcerers who had been ensnared by Varic's tendrils. The gunshot echoed through the night, and the sorcerer, unable to evade, screamed in pain as Tingle's bullet rang true and pieced the sorcerer through its heart. Ardric, despite enduring a long, shallow slice from an ethereal blade, showed resilience. Channeling his paladin strength, he retaliated with a powerful overhead slice from his longsword, landing his blade a foot into the sorcerer's shoulder, severing many major arteries, ensuring death. Simultaneously, Zeroth, fueled by both anger and a determination to protect his friends, swung his flaming berserker with formidable force. The last sorcerer, caught off guard by the sudden ferocity, was cleaved in half by Zeroth's powerful underhand swing. The fiery blade cut through the magical defenses, leaving nothing but dissipating magical energies in its wake. The trio, victorious but not unscathed, took a moment to catch their breath. Ardric, checking the slice on his side, winced but assured his companions, "It's just a scratch. Nothing a bit of healing can't fix." Tingle inspected his gunblade with a grin, pleased with its performance, while Varic released the magical tendrils, allowing them to fade away. Zeroth, still holding his flaming axe, surveyed the scene. The night air crackled with residual magic, and the embers from his weapon cast an eerie glow. "Well, that was quite the welcoming committee," he remarked, a mix of irritation and triumph in his tone. "It appears whoever is at the center of those damn sorcerers does not want us to interfere with whatever plans they have set in motion." Ardric said as he slid his sword back into its sheath. "Tingle is glad they are dead because now they will fear Tingle, not hunt Tingle." Tingle said, reloading his gunblade. As they regrouped, the party couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. They had faced down unexpected adversaries and emerged victorious, their bonds of friendship and shared skills proving to be a formidable combination. Yet, the events of the night left them with lingering questions about the mysterious sorcerers and the dangers that might lie ahead in their quest.