Ullian stops walking.

"What I was doing all this time was finding a way to rescue Arielle, keep myself alive, keep everyone else alive, all so that we can get the reward that you so badly want and that nobody else will benefit from!

I would have been really happy to grab the treasure.  But there was no way to do that and rescue Arielle.  To your point: no, there wasn't time to grab a little treasure and stuff it in my pockets.  And I certainly didn't see you up there making any suggestions on that point.

So I'd stop your complaining, stop your criticizing, stop your superior smugness, and show some damn gratitude!"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Tue 12 Apr 2022.

Ullian then trots to catch up with Arielle.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Tue 12 Apr 2022.

Rigya shrugged.  As long as the elf knew the armor was hers, he could make whatever excuses he wanted for having not secured any reward for the others.

"Let us concentrate on getting back to town," Lowel said, marching along. He was just happy could be of some help.

"Once we get close to town, I'd like to take a look at the nearby forests. If you need me again, we'll come up with somewhere outside of town to meet me."

He saw no need to go into town.

Sharn listens to bickering, no one else was out a family heirloom, her bardiche that her mother gave her.   Loaning things to elves, she was taught better.

Lannet remains mostly silent through Ullie and Rigya's argument, only to add, "yeah, it was really big...too big to carry, a shame really..."

"Would have been nice to have time to sift through it to pick out the choice bits," he says. Then, he is quiet, turning his attention to scanning the distance for any sign of Fairhill.

Arialle shakes her head from side to side, her countenance sad and distant. "The party I joined up with set out to explore the ruined tower. When we arrived, it was empty, though there were signs it was inhabited. We thought it might have been held by a small band of ogres and they may have been out hunting..."

She continues and relays that there was some discussion about whether the party should just take the treasure and be off. In the end, they decided to set an ambush and attack the ogres when they returned. Except, it wasn't ogres. The ettin returned, with a few worgs. A fierce battle erupted and Arialle's party was scattered to the woods. The ettin and worgs picked them off one by one.

"The ettin spared my life," she continues, "but not the others..."

She is silent for some time. Later, she picks the tale up and relates the ettin ate her companions and threatened to eat her many times. Then, a few days after she was captured, the ettin found a cursed helm one her party members had been carrying, apparently having previously belonged to another party member who turned evil after donning it. Things go really strange after the ettin put the helm on one of its head, she says.

"It was like the ettin was possessed of two souls. One kindly, the other terrible," she says.

She further relates had it not been for the helm's influence, she likely would have been eaten. "The mean head did not care for music much, though the kindly head did."

Arialle shrinks way from Rigya's tongue-lashing and fights to hold back tears. She wouldn't give her the satisfaction, but the truth was written plainly on Arialle's face. She wasn't an adventurer, at least not a very good one, that much was true.

Sharn sits next to Arialle, and speaks quietly,  "Rigya is just mad, not really at you, soon you'll be home and your father will be so happy.  You survived, and sometimes, that's all you can do.  Hold your head up, you made an Ettin fall in love with you, that's almost impossible".

"Now that we've had our little break," Rigya said sarcastically, "could we please start walking again?"

If she had any better options, she'd ditch this bunch and join a group that knew what it was doing.  The healer just ran for his life, she had no idea if the gnome could do what he said he could, the lockbusters had no interest in gold, and the axe woman, that at least looked the part, only wanted to talk it out!

She totally deserved that suit of armor.

Ullian does not respond in any way to Rigya.  He glances to make sure everyone else is ready to go and then continues the last leg of the journey to town.

The party pushes on and spends the next few hours walking mostly in silence as each member of the group turned over different thoughts in their mind. The expedition had been successful, but somehow, their success had been tainted (for some) by the knowledge a large treasure hoard had been left behind. For her part, Arialle cared little about the ettin's treaure. She was just glad to be free of the brute and headed home.

After a long journey south, the adventurers finally come within sight of Fairhill a few hours before dusk.

"Home," Arialle says in a low tone.

"Yes," Ullian sighs.  "Your father will be very happy to see you safe and sound."

"He may be quite angry at me," Arialle says. "He warned me often about such fool-headed things."

Still, she continues toward her home, nervous about what sort of reception she would receive.

The party is soon at the blacksmith's house. As it turns out, Arialle's fears are misplaced. Her father, alerted to their presence by a barking dog, appears in the darkened doorframe and throws his arms around his daughter and holds her close. Overcome with emotion, it is some time before Voril composes himself and addresses Arialle's rescuers.

"Praise be to the Gods and praise to each of you!" he continues, favoring each with thankful words.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:27, Sat 16 Apr 2022.

"The job is done," Rigya said, making sure the blacksmith understood what she was saying.  "I'll be back tomorrow to discuss the reward."

"We are exceedingly happy that we were able to return your daughter safely.  But, about that reward," Ullian pipes up, addressing the blacksmith. "Well sir, we seem to be in a bit of conundrum about that, as it were.  You see, we can't quite agree on what should come of it.  Only one person can wear it, of course, and some of us can't.  In short, we haven't quite determined how to divide it amongst ourselves in a manner that is fair and equitable."

Ullian scratches the back of his neck sheepishly.

"What I'd think you should do -- that is, what I think might be best, is if you hang onto the armor for a bit until we are in a position to report to you that we have all mutually agreed on its fate.

It woukd be a kindness in your part."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:50, Sun 17 Apr 2022.

Rigya does not look pleased, but does not argue the point she'd already thought settled.

It was late and she headed back to her inn for the night.  They could have their discussion without her as they already knew where she stood.

Voril readily agrees to Ullian's proposal. Beginning work on a suit of armor is the last thing on his mind at the moment, though he will uncertainly honor his commitment.

Voril and Arialle once again thank the adventurers for their bravery and ask them to return as soon as they have decided what they want to do about the armor.

***

With that matter settled, Lannet offers to treat the party to dinner at the Drunken Cockatrice. "It would be my pleasure," he offers with a magnanimous gesture and tone.

"We will," Ullian promises. "In the meantime," he says, looking at Arielle.  "Stay out of trouble."

_________________

Lannet is not Ullie's most favorite person in the world, but right now he's offering exactly what Ullie would like.  So, the elf is only too happy to take Lannet up on his unexpected generosity.

"And it would be my pleasure and relief to accept your offer," he says. "Lead on!"

Lannet leads the party to the Drunken Cockatrice, where they are promptly seated and treated to an outstanding meal. True to his word, Lannet pays for the evening's food and drink and encourages his companions to take their fill of both.

The wait staff gives him a sidelong glance when he says everything is on him, to which he retrieves a small, gleaming, multi-faceted gem from his inner pocket and sets it on the table. The light from a nearby lantern dances magnificently in the gem. "This should more than cover our evening festivities," he says with great confidence.

"Eat. Drink. Be Merry!" he says while offering a toast to everyone's health before drinking the last of his ale.

Pleased to see that he won't be an accomplice to Lannet dashing out on another tab, Ullian does as he's invited.

The party hasn't been gone and "roughing it" for as long as it's felt, but Ullian is happy to be in a warm place with good food and drink.

Sharn enjoys a few drinks and a meal, she is a bit reserved in the public inn, as is usual for her, but seems to relax a little as the meal wears on.

When she gets a chance to talk to just those in the group, she adds,

"It wasn't a complete loss, I managed to tuck away the golden harp before I fled.  I think in a larger town, it might fetch a good price".

"Good, good," Ullian enthuses. "And, we know where more treasure can be had, and unlike before we know what danger accompanies it.  With some planning -- and a cart --, we can probably figure out how to deal with the ettin and get that treasure!"

PM

Ullian is enjoying the food, the drinks, and the company.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:13, Sun 24 Apr 2022.