Chapter 4: Fight Club
General Summary
Logan Threetrees found some small work as an outrider for the village while Falco Padfoot did... whatever he was doing. Elril had been asked to train Falco’s new riding dog and Kannika Lightdancer had remained at the Pharasma’s shrine.
Having heard one night of Logan’s gladiatorial exploits in his homeland, Falco conceived a money-making scheme: hold a bare-fist match with a local or two and use their winnings to improve their gear. Logan agreed.
Falco arranged an event with Oleg, the barkeep at the Dented Tankard. A small but well-heeled audience surreptitiously met in a secluded root cellar to cheer on their favorites, and Logan found himself squaring off with Seaxwulf, a muscle bound local.
The fight did not go well for Logan, however. Suffering from several unlucky blows he found himself unable to keep his feet. Luckily, one of the bettors was a local priest named Father Borrin , whose healing magics revived both fighters.
Stung from the loss of their entire savings, Logan sought out a bet winner who was on his own. Borrin was spotted relieving himself in the shadows, so Falco resolved to pick his purse.
It... did not go well. The priest ran off, yelling for the constables. Falco, panicked, hid in a tree and used his new sling staff to try to silence the screaming cleric. He managed to drop Borrin after a few blows, but not before the constables were roused and in the streets. One, recognizing the local priest, began investigating but was distracted the bang of Falco’s thunderstone on a roof on the other side of the village. When Logan showed up to “help”, the constable ran off.
Falco cut the priest’s throat, partly at Logan’s suggestion. He rifled the body for valuables, discovering a golden holy symbol of the goddess Urgathoa. Not being burdened by an excess of piety, he pitched it, and Borrin’s body, in a nearby dark alley.
The two made their way out of town, avoiding the constables and pulling Elril along for the escape. They made their way to the Pharasmin shrine, where they convinced Kannika to come with them.
Some days later, at a seldom-visited inn many miles away, they received a message.
The text follows:
"To Whom it May Concern,
"I regret to be the bearer of bad tidings, but I find it is my sad duty to inform you of the unfortunate and unseen demise of the former Mayor of Hearthwick, Oliphar Bulbanius. He was observed leaving the village and meeting with members of the rebel forces currently besieging the city of Tamrivena. This was apparently not the first such meeting, but the means by which he evaded observation seems to have disappeared. He died a coward's death. A long, slow, agonizing coward's death.
"Equally unfortunately, I advise you that the Farlander headman, Zoltan Muddybrook, has recently found himself crippled -- blind and tongueless, he nevertheless lives. When approached for information about the malefactors in Hearthwick, he proved most uncooperative.
"Be advised that before you were forwarded this message, the word went out to report on the whereabouts of an Ulfen barbarian and a Halfling rogue with your descriptions included. I may not know your names, but you may be certain I will find you. I wish you good luck in making it out of Ustalav alive.
"Borrin,
Former Priest of Urgathoa"
Logan Threetrees
Falco Padfoot
Report Date
06 Jun 2021
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