A powerful bolt of lightning split the boulder in two. There was a loud boom as shards of rock flew through the air. Tavish, the handsome warrior, was truly impressed. How was it that this diminutive rodent could do this?
"Zounds!" He whispered. Other members of the party applauded. Everyone, it seemed, was truly impressed.
"It is between Jaeson and Bob Smith", the red-haired woman cleric Oona decided.
Bob, a wiry man with a slender black mustache, smiled. There was no way this tiny rat would be chosen over him.
Although, he had to admit, the display of magick he had just witnessed was astonishing.
Two other contenders for admission into the adventuring party expressed their disappointment and departed. Fillroy, the local blacksmith's son who dreamt of a life of adventure sighed. It was a deep defeated sigh of acceptance.
This, after he had clearly wowed them with his card trick, drawing the king of hearts from the deck. "Is this your card?" he asked. The dim-witted warrior had to admit it was.
"I vote for Phillip!" Tavish proclaimed. How did the lad guess his card? Mind reading, possibly?
But he changed his vote when Bob Smith, a mysterious figure dressed all in black, snatched an arrow right out of the air fired by their elven archer, Tvisha. She claimed she could nick his ear at 20 paces. Perhaps she could have, but at the last second he reached out and grabbed the high speed projectile.
"I change my vote to Bob!" Tavish shouted enthusiastically.
"I could do that", the halfling woman named Viv claimed. Tavish scoffed.
"Well, maybe", he conceded. He had seen the small rogue perform some impressive feats of dexterity. Like the time she walked a tightrope over the castle moat and stole the princess's diamond necklace from her bedchamber.
"Bob is my man all the way", Tavish decided. Bob looked appreciative.
"Thank you very much, Mr Tavish", Bob replied, smiling warmly.
"Are there any other contenders?" Oona asked. She saw no one, but asked to be sure.
All four members of the Wlitige Beornas (aka the Beautiful Heroes) suppressed a laugh when a small rodent wearing a blue tunic announced he was there to audition. Everyone present had doubts, but he claimed he had what it took.
Oona, the leader of the party, giggled, assuming it was a joke.
"I am Jaeson Gerbille, the Wizard of Wesselville. As I will now demonstrate, I am, of the four candidates, the far superior one".
Tavish chuckled. He also assumed this must be a prank. Probably perpetrated by Viv. She was constantly trying to pull one over on him or another member of the party. But mostly him. They had an ongoing rivalry wherein each continually tried to out prank the other.
The mouse jumped up on a stump in the middle of the forest clearing and withdrew a tiny wand made of willow from a sheath attached to his belt.
"Behold!" he bellowed. He pointed the stick at a nearby moss covered boulder. Which, as previously disclosed, produced a bolt of lightning that split the enormous rock in twain.
Oona the cleric, Viv the halfling rogue, Tvisha the elven archer, and Tavish the ruggedly attractive swordsman were all inclined to agree -- this small guinea pig was now the leading candidate. Unless Bob could wow them with an even more astounding feat.
"I am a gerbil, not a guinea pig", Jaeson said, correcting the adventures. "Prepare to be amazed!"
Everyone, Bob included, waited with bated breath. What would this fury enigma do next?
Turns out, nothing.
"Are you ready?" Jaeson squeaked.
Everyone confirmed they were.
The two-foot-tall rodent began to shrink. Suddenly he diminished to a mere 6 inches in height, his tunic and wand also shrinking proportionally in size.
Everyone clapped and voiced approval. Excepting Bob. After this did they even need to see how Bob could possibly top this trick? Previously the heroes had agreed that what they likely needed was a magick user.
"What is your specialty, Bob?" Oona inquired.
"You said you were looking for an individual proficient in the use of magick, and that I am", Bob asserted. "Though it seems I have been outdone".
"Don't give up", Tavish counseled. "Let's see what you got".
"Very well", Bob replied.
Bob closed his eyes, seemingly concentrating. Then he began to levitate, rising 2 feet off the ground, his black cloak billowing dramatically. He hung there, in midair, for several seconds. The seconds ticked by and he continued to hover.
"Higher!" Jaeson (who had returned to his prior stature), squeaked, encouraging Bob. He wanted to see him soar over the treetops.
Beads of sweat appeared on Bob's forehead. But, instead of levitating higher, began to descend, until he returned to the ground. Bob let out a defeated sigh, then stood there, loudly huffing as if he had just sprinted a marathon.
"Looks like we have a winner!" Jaeson concluded. "Me!"
Bob hung his head in shame. After wiping the sweat from his brow. "I did my best", he concluded. "I can see why you would choose this mouse over me. However, you may consider the fact that he is but a small rodent, while I am a man? And I'm capable of using a dagger".
Bob drew a dagger from his black leather boot and tossed it from hand to hand. Then he drew back his arm and threw it. Flying through the air, the poniard appeared to hit its mark, sticking with a thunk in the trunk of a nearby tree.
"Hmm", Tavish mused, deep in thought. "Why can't we add both Bob and Jaeson to the party?"
The party members conferred. Bob and Jaeson heard them whispering as they huddled.
Tavish suddenly shouted, "That would be a big mistake, in my opinion!"
Eventually it seemed a decision had been reached. Tavish approached Bob and extended his hand. Bob, anticipating a congratulatory handshake to welcome him to the group, extended his hand.
"I argued passionately in favor of your inclusion, but you didn't make the cut. I'm so sorry", Tavish said, giving Bob a conciliatory handshake.
Bob looked genuinely disappointed. But he understood, he said. The Wlitige Beornas were well known in these parts as the saviors of Stincantun, the nearby village he was from. He had heard the tales of how the heroes had defeated the gobelin horde. Many related the tale of how Tavish himself had defeated the gobelin cyng in battle.
Bob was about to depart when the warrior began to grin. "Just kidding!" he chuckled.
"Both Bob and Jaeson will be admitted on a provisional basis", Oona announced.
"Ha, ha", Bob laughed, remembering that Tavish was known for his predisposition to pranking. Supposedly, as per the version of the tale he heard, Tavish roughly pulled down the gobelin cyng's breeches after stunning him with a solid punch to the gut.
"Indeed", Tavish confirmed. "That took him by surprise. He tripped and fell to his knees, then I gave him a noogie. Though that might have been a mistake, given how greasy the cyng's lice-infested hair was". The warrior laughed, then let out a disgusted "ugh" when he came to the part about the noogie and the greasy hair.
"After he begged for his life and I spared it, he was beaten mercilessly by his subordinates. Tvisha shot a number in the back as they fled. I don't think they will return".
"I doubt they will", Tvisha agreed. "But, if they decide to make that grave mistake, they will have the Wlitige Beornas to contend with".
"The town is forever in your debt", Bob remarked. "I am truly honored to be added to your ranks. I will work hard not to disappoint".
Jaeson did not look impressed. "I have never heard that tale", he interjected. "I was passing through on my way back to Wesselville when I saw your notice on the bulletin board at the local tavern. The barkeep claimed you are local heroes, so I decided to check you out. By the way, I also asked why your town stinks. He says the reason is a huge cesspool that Stincantun is downwind of?"
Viv wrinkled her nose. What the rodent said was true. The Slughe Fen was located upwind of the city. Though it had not always stunk. She knew this personally because she had lived there for many years. Some said an yfel wicca was the source of the stench. The word around town was that this wizard was conducting foul experiments.
Another group of adventurers, some inexperienced locals, had investigated, but never returned. Only recently (several years ago) had the village come to be known as Stincantun (stinky town). The true name of the village was Lustbære, which described it succinctly. It was a very desirable, pleasant, cheerful, and joyous place to live. Before the dark (and smelly) times.
"Before accepting our offer, you should know what our mission entails", Oona stated before Jaeson indicated whether or not he accepted. To her, it sounded like he might not be interested after all. Given that the mission involved investigating the Slughe Fen and finding out the truth behind the horrific reek. And, if it was a yfel wicca who was responsible, to slay him.
Or extract from him concessions in exchange for his life. Which would obviously include abating the smell, if possible. They would also attempt to locate the prior adventurers who had disappeared.
Bob, an inhabitant of Stincantun (formerly Lustbære) readily agreed. Many inhabitants had already fled, packing up their belongings and relocating elsewhere. Bob was among those who decided to stick it out.
"This is a noble quest", Bob concluded. "I readily accept".
"Why not?" Jaeson, whiskers twitching, squeaked as he shrugged his shoulders. "There isn't currently anything on my agenda". Then he thought. "I will join the team on a provisional basis". Depending on how bad this smell was, the gerbil thought. In town it had been mildly distracting. A foul stench in the wind, sometimes hardly noticeable and sometimes so bad it made his eyes water. How much worse would it be if they sought out the source?
"It is settled then", Tavish declared. "Congratulations, Bob", he said, clapping the man on the back. "This is a great honor for you both", he added, addressing Bob and Jaeson.
"We shall depart on the morn", Viv said. She was stirring a pot on the party's campfire. "You are both welcome to some of my rutabaga and parsley root stew". The halfling woman spooned some stew into a copper stein, offering it up for any takers.
Tavish took the stein and drank from the cup, after blowing on it to cool it off. "I'm famished", the handsome warrior remarked after slurping some soup. "This isn't bad", he concluded as he took a seat on the same stump Jaeson had previously stood upon.
Actually still was. "Excuse me", Tavish apologized as Jaeson jumped from his perch to avoid the warrior's descending posterior.
Jaeson expressed interest in the stew. "I take it the stew is vegan? I could scrounge up some mealworms, waxworms or crickets to add".
This idea didn't appeal to Bob, nor anyone else. "None for me, thanks", Bob replied. "With your permission I will return home to gather the rest of my gear. Also to tell my sister the news. She knows I was auditioning to join your group, but doesn't know of my acceptance".
"That sounds like a plan", Oona said, nodding her head. "Be back at dawn, for that is when we shall depart".
Bob agreed and left, disappearing into the trees, following a path out of the glen and into the woods, back in the direction of Stincantun. Meanwhile, Jaeson began digging in the soft soil around the base of the rotting stump. There were woodworms here for certain. He could smell them.
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