Chapter 53: Partings

Chapter 53: Partings

Ben was enjoying a dream where two lovely women had stolen his hat and were tossing it back and forth as he chased them. Sadly, it ended with the women leaving, his hat being worn by both of them. Then he was alone in a meadow with just an amused Beatrice rolling her eyes at him.

He awoke to the sound of voices and the smell of food.

The camp was a beehive of activity. The destroyed wagons were providing fuel for a cooking fire, the rest of the parts piled off to the side of the road. Supplies were being split up into make shift packs that each of the paladins could carry on foot. The only animals left were two of the draft horses, now heavily laden, Mudfoot, and Sir Gabriels warhorse.

Harmony noticed he was awake and tossed him a loaf of flatbread that had been cooking on a rock next to the fire. "Eat up sleepy-head, almost time to move out. We decided that anyone crazy enough to try and distract a wolf by riding it needed some extra rest time. "

Ben was amazed he had slept that long. Considering each hour counted as three, and the position of the sun, he had just slept for the equivalent of 15 hours. Then again, he'd exhausted his mana and stamina, and been down a big chunk of his health. All considered, he was lucky to be waking up here, and not in Sedgewick with death penalties.

Diego and a knight joined he and Harmony around the fire. The knight offered his hand. "We didn't have time for greetings last night. I am Sir Gabriel Ironheart of the Order of Paladins of the Light. Good to make your acquaintance, Courier Benjamin. That was quite an entrance last night, I must say."

Ben took the proffered hand. "I never so well understood the phrase 'He must needs go that the devil drives.' until this day. "

Gabriel agreed. "And that certainly was a devil that we faced. That spirit has been around for a long time, but never this powerful."

"Yes, if that was the same damned wolf my friends and I killed near Sedgewick, he's gotten much worse. He was using zombie bunnies to attack us. I think Ozzy killed him with a caber." Ben finished his bread and immediately grabbed another loaf. Diego, seeing his hunger, reached into his pocket for a chunk of cheese wrapped in cloth and handed it to him. Then the inquisitor raised an eyebrow. "A... caber? Isn't that a large log? I saw crazy drunken men competing to throw them a few feet once at a festival. Can someone actually use them as a weapon?"

Ben nodded his thanks for the cheese, which followed the second loaf of bread into his belly. "Well, Ozzy can. He's large and terrifyingly strong. I once watched him wrestle with a daemon while the building burned around them. Any more loaves of bread? Ah, there's one. Excuse me." Ben grabbed the last loaf of bread from across the fire, to the disappointment of a slower moving paladin. Seeing the young man's sad face, Ben divided the loaf and tossed him half.

Diego turned to Gabriel shaking his head and smiling. "Only a Franklin could speak of wrestling Daemons like that in such a casual way. If there was any doubt about what family he was part of, that settles the matter."

Harmony agreed. "Yes, we certainly lay claim to him. But now that he is up, and we are nearly ready to take our leaves, I would like to go investigate this golden chest."

"Right, so what is the plan, besides looting interesting chests?" Ben had actually forgotten about that part of the message from last night. He'd not been thinking well after the beast went down.

Gabriel politely glanced at Diego and Harmony before speaking. "I will be leading the Order to the village of Thunderhead to resupply, and then report to one of our monasteries near there. As we lack mounts, this will be a slow trek. But good for all of us. As Saint Jubal reminds us in his writings, 'He who relies too much upon four legs will soon lose the usefulness of his own.' Some wisdom there, that all of us will ponder as we march along this road."

"I have offered my mount to Courier Harmony, but she insists she will reach the capital quicker by running until she can rehorse at a courier station. So, my mount will go to Inquisitor Diego. It will aid him on his journey to Rowan Keep. I believe you will be heading that way as well? I have dispatches for the keep, and would like to have you carry them."

Ben sighed inwardly. He'd really wanted more time with Harmony. Partly to gain more information...and partly just to spend time with her. But of course, she had her own courier duties. "Glad to help. And it will be nice to have a companion on the ride back." And Ben thought, ask a lot of questions about what the hell went on last night.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via noovelllbbin

"Then let us load up, and pay a visit to a treasure chest, and be on our way." Harmony began walking into the woods. The eager junior paladins followed. It had been torturing for the players, but they had held off opening the chest after finding it.

Soon, amid much rejoicing and comparing of items, the group of warriors was much better outfitted. Each received an item that varied from enchanted swords or shields, to sparkling breast plates or other armor pieces. Both Reeves and Gabriel were sporting fine wolf fur cloaks.

Harmony and Ben went last. "Perhaps, Benjamin, you might get another hat? It's difficult to brag about who has the best hat with an unarmed opponent." She opened the chest, and received a set of shiny silver vambraces of an unusual style. Ben could see that the left hand one had three ridges running its length, and was rune inscribed. Harmony identified it and shared it, to the sounds of appreciation.

Spirit Slaying Vambraces

Mitigation: 6

Enchantments: Light, Increased Protection +3, Long Shot, Mana Driven

Quality: Premium

Forged during the War of the Wolf by the Grandmaster Smith Vulgar Silverhand. These arm pieces provide extra protection and incorporate a multi-shot light crossbow. Runes to increase the range have been inscribed, as well as runes to enable recocking by using mana.

The junior brothers were particularly impressed.

"Oh, bloody hell! And I thought my Shield +2 was awesome."

"It is awesome, that's just more awesome. That's the best arm slot I think anyone has seen in the game."

"Holy shit, but she barely fought. Didn’t she?"

"Naw, she'd already been in a fight with the boss. Wounded him in the face, and then she put another in his eye at the camp."

Harmony unstrapped her old vambraces and wrist crossbow and donned the new ones. "Light as a feather, and oh so pretty." Turning, she looked up at a tree before firing. A bolt disappeared into the greenery, and a bird the size of a chicken fell to the ground. "There, young ones, I provide you dinner on your long hike." She retrieved her bolt and tossed the bird to Sundiver who shrugged and began plucking it.

She considered for a second, then she handed her old gear to Ben. "It seems I am giving you hand-me-downs already little cousin. This has been in the family for a few generations. Grandmother used it for years and got it from her mother before her. Where GreatGran got it, she never would say, but insisted it was an heirloom of the house. I hope you make good use of it. She strapped the weapon on to Ben's arm. Then kissed him on his cheek. "Now let’s see what you get."

Ben opened the chest. It glowed with golden light, before disappearing and leaving an object behind. It was a large and heavy book. Ben picked it up and estimated it weighed at least 20 lbs.! Several people gathered around to look at it. At first glance, besides being large, it didn't look like much. It was bound in a course leather that was scuffed and stained. The edges of the pages were rough cut and not trimmed to match. Part of the weight was the iron reenforcements at each corner and along the spine. The book was dusty, and the iron coated in rust. Two heavy leather straps with rusty iron locks held the book shut.

A Catalog of common Beetles, Chiggers, Cutworms, and Flies found in the Southern Provinces

Compiled and assemble with copious illustrations by Professor Damien Franklin

"Well," said Ben, "obviously a long-lost family heirloom of some sort?" He turned to ask Harmony about the book but she was bent over and trying not to laugh.

"I'm sorry Benjamin, I should not laugh, but to have one of those turn up pretending to be a treasure is just too much."

(Or you could just cast it again on your own and learn the skill today! Such a quick learner.)

Congratulations! You have learned the skill Lay Hands and healed your ally and cleaned her wounds of dark magics.

You have asked for aid of a Divine Being, and against all odds, the Maid of Orleans has come to your aid. She will ask a price of you in the future.

You have invoked the miracle of the Rain of Renewal. The blessed waters will drive away antagonistic magics in the area, heal and invigorate your allies, and weaken undead and demons in the storms area of effect.

You have received 10 Core Skill Points for successfully invoking a Divine Being. Actions have consequences.

Note: This is a one-time bonus for summoning this being.

You have been given the quest: Slay Chartok the Eternal Wolf and all of his minions.

The Maid of Orleans charges you with destroying the evil beasts that prey upon the weak, and attack their protectors. They are foul in her sight and she wishes them removed and the land cleansed.

Horseback riding and driving a cart wasn't enough? Who rides a wolf? (Ok, yes, that is pretty cool.)

You have learned the skill: Wolfback Riding. This is a tertiary skill governed by your agility.

You, along with your allies, have slain Chartok the Eternal Wolf, a Level 10 Elite Boss.

You have completed the quest given to you by the Maid of Orleans.

A golden chest has appeared with gifts for each of the people completing the quest.

You have received 8 Core Skill Points for helping to kill Chartok the Eternal Wolf.

You have been given access to the Tier 2 skill: Flames of the Phoenix.

You have agreed to accept the skill: Flames of the Phoenix. Cost = 11 CSP.

You have gained 3 points of Radiance.

You have gained the sub-skill: Lay Hands

You have gained the sub-skill: Flaming Brand

Flames of the Phoenix is a complex aspect that includes both the Aspect of Fire, and the Aspect of Healing. RAD is the governing statistic. For each level of a complex aspect, (including level 0), sub-skills will be available to you. Sub-skills use the rank of Flames of the Phoenix and use of them will earn EP for Flames of the Phoenix.

Congratulations, and this time we mean it a bit more than usual!

-You have completed a Major Quest

-You have been instrumental in defeating creatures far above your level.

-You have done a Great Deed!

-You have explored your Heritage and found your place in the world.

Welcome to the Second Tier!

You have earned the option of gainin EP and advancing through levels 6-10.

To use this option, please choose one of the Tier 2 classes that you have qualified for. You may also elect to not advance. Other possible classes may become available later, if you do not advance. Actions taken may also result in class options being removed.

Tier 2 Class options:

Contract Worker: Inquisitor

Contract Worker: Leather Worker

Contract Worker: Imperial Courier

Contract Worker: Paladin

Ben suddenly had a lot to think on and some more questions for Diego as they traveled. He was pretty sure that ACME didn't mean for any of its workers to get past Tier 1. This was a huge decision and not one to make until he knew more. Entering the next tier might mean new skill options. He'd save the remaining 8 CSP for now. It seemed that part of his price was accepting the Flames of the Phoenix. It looked like healing and a weapon skill of some sort. That could wait until after a good night's rest.

Undressing, he stripped off the wrist cross-bow Harmony had given to him. It was well-worn, but had been given good care. He was quite familiar with this style of weapon. As he placed it on the table, something caught his eye.

On the back side of the weapon a drawing of a rooster had been inscribed on the metal, and the letters 'BF3rd'