An Unexpected Detour

A dwarf an elf and a gnome go into a tavern.

The old joke popped into Rassel head and seemed appropriate for some reason.

Actually Rassel mused, at the moment the gnome would love to be living out that joke, instead he was

standing on what looked like a moss-covered boulder staring blankly at what he had thought was just an

old coin while his companions looked around in astonishment.

"What the hell happened? Where are we?" Toroc said angrily clutching his axe tightly as he peered

around. The black bearded dwarf fighter was quite stereotypical of his kind, gruff, tough and extremely

loyal, he was also far more compassionate than he let on, Toroc sent most of the money he earned back

to his family, but you would never know he had anything but a heart of granite if you listened to him.

Rassel had spent the past three months just trying to get the dwarf to smile but had only managed to get

a few glares.

    "It appears that the coin was a key to a portal of some type and Rassel activated it

accidentally." Irlandra said her hand resting lightly on her elven sword. If the silver haired elf

was the least bothered by being sent gods knows where it didn't show on her smiling face.  Of

course in two hundred and forty odd years Rassel had known Irlandra he had never seen her

worry, or for that matter, need to.

     Rassel peered down at there perch thinking. They had been exploring some ruins in Taldor

when he found a coin with elven writing on it, curious he had tried to pronounced the word and

now they were in a forest somewhere else.

Rassel looked at the stone they were standing he could just make out some faded elven

writing but he was unable to read it.

"Please wait for customs to inspect your bags." Rassel muttered his own interpretation.

cheered up by his own joke, the bard put the coin away and turned to his companions with a

restored grin.

"Well, no reason to worry, the weather seems nice and the forest seems healthy, I'm sure

we will find a village in no time." Rassel said hopping down off the stone, his companions glanced in

surprise at the bard change of mood, but a moment later followed him.

As Rassel looked around at the woods he randomly pointed toward a large tree that dominated the

horizon and said.  "Lets go this way."

"Why that way?" Said Toroc still irritated.

"Why not?" came Rassel cheerful reply as he started off singing a marching song.

Irlandra followed without objection, pulling some fruit from her pouch and eating it as

she went.

Toroc hesitated for a moment before following his companions swearing under his breath

and wondering why he was stuck with these two.

"See, we found a village, no problem." Rassel said as he pointed to the lights in the

distance beyond the edge of the woods.

"We would have found it with some daylight left if you hadn't led us in the wrong

direction." Toroc snarled.

"But the journey was pleasant and we did catch some pheasant."

Rassel rhymed holding up the bird Irlandra had caught.

Toroc glared at the bard annoyed by his joke and opened his mouth for a retort when

Irlandra held up her hand saying. "Lets approach the village a little quieter than usual, we

wouldn't want to give a bad impression, hmm."

"Of course fair lady." Rassel said sweeping off his hat and giving a theocratical bow.

Irlandra grinned at the bards' antics and said. "Oh, and Rassel try not to get into trouble before we can

find out where we are."

"When orcs bathe." Toroc muttered under his breath.

"As you wish" The gnome said solemnly ignoring the dwarf.

Rassel hummed a song and created a bright blue light, he then began to alter it to a more

sun like yellow by changing his pitch.

"We will lose the advantage of surprise with that thing." Toroc objected glaring at the light.

Irlandra threw the dwarf an amused look. "Toroc, were looking for directions not battle.

I'm sure that a small farming community will be quite willing to help simple travelers."

"If it really is such a thing. Could be bandits or orcs." Toroc said.

"With such well kept farms? How industrious of them." Irlandra mocked gently.

Rassel decided to interrupt before the argument cost them another day in the woods

skulking.

"Well, one way to find out for sure." Rassel said starting off for the village.

Rassel made no attempt at stealth as he approached. His companions followed, Irlandra

making no more noise than a whisper, Toroc by contrast his armor jingling and his pack rustling

with each step sounded like a small army.

Lets hope the town isn't likely to shoot first and ask a cleric to find out whom you had been later.

Rassel thought as he listened to the racket the dwarf was making.

As they got closer Rassel found the town looked just like any peaceful sleepy hamlet you

could find in Andoran, why if wasn't for the building missing most of its roof he would be tempted to build

an inn.

        "That looks like the work of a dragon" Irlandra noted calmly.

        "Dragon, you think a dragon attacked the village?" Toroc said reaching for the comforting

weight of his axe.

"I wouldn't call it an attack, it probably was just looking for treasure. I doubt it ate more

than a villager or two" Irlandra responded.

"I'm sure the townsfolk appreciate the difference." Rassel said quietly.

"And since here they come, lets show them we mean no harm." Rassel continued, moving to greet

them.

The villagers approached cautiously, but without fear. Rassel noted they were all human

and several were armed with bows and wood cutting axes, and he was also certain he saw the

cloak of a priest of Erastil in the crowd.

"Greetings, allow me to introduce myself and my companions.  I am Rassel Lorrian a

musician of some note in Andoran, and my compatriots are the beautiful lady Irlandra and the

stout dwarf is Toroc Ironhammer." Rassel said grandly as Toroc continued to glare fiercely at the gnome

back.

"Laying it on a bit thick eh, Rassel." Irlandra said through her welcoming smile.

"The first impression is the lasting impression." Rassel replied as he gestured and sent

his light to hover over the crowd. It looked to be a tough crowd, none of the people gathered seemed

hostile, but they were clearly on guard.

Finally one of few men wearing some leather armor and carrying a sword spoke.

"Greetings, my name is Galth and this is the village of Telbarin, you are welcome here as long an you

bring no trouble." Galth said as he carefully inspected them. Rassel returned the regard, it looked as if the

village was relatively new and villagers made their living farming and wood cutting. Despite the dragon

attack the people neither seemed panicked, or frightened. All were good signs for their willingness to help.

"Well that's good since trouble is the last thing we need, you see we seem to have

become quite lost. We would be quite indebted to you if you could tell us where we are and even

what land we are in."

Rassel watched to see how Galth would react to this somewhat strange request but to Rassel slight

surprise he responded as if strangers appearing with no idea where they were was common occurrence.

"Your at the edge of Lurkwood in Varisia. Many strange things happen in those woods,

your lucky to have made it out." Galth said.

"I see, well then I hope you will let us spend the night and get our bearings." Rassel said

trying to ignore the irate dwarf at his back.

Galth sent a quick glance at the priest who nodded and then he turned back to them

saying.

"We don't have an inn but the town hall has a roof and floor space and you can get

something to eat and drink."

"That would be much appreciated, perhaps tomorrow we can discuss ways to repay you."

Rassel said glancing at the damaged building.

Galth followed the gnome look, and said. "We can discuss it over breakfast."

They proceeded to the town hall were they prepared to get something to eat and some rest or

rather that's what Rassel wanted, Toroc clearly wanted to discuss their current predicament.

He gets so worked over these things. He'd be more relaxed if he didn't worry over every

little problem. Rassel thought as he turned toward the dwarf holding out his hand to stop his tirade.

"Let me say this first, it was my carelessness that got us here and I'll be sure to get us back to

civilization, so please don't worry good dwarf." Rassel said as contritely as he could manage.

"Damn right, your paying to get us back. But first what were you thinking promising to

take care of a dragon for them!" Toroc proclaimed angrily.

"I never said anything of the sort." Rassel said with a degree of sincerity that had fooled

more than few magistrates.

"You implied clearly enough, you damn fool. What are we going to do if they insist we

kill the cursed thing?" Toroc growled.

"It wasn't an old dragon, the damage it left behind tells us that. I'm certain we can deal

with it." Irlandra interjected.

"And how many dragons have you killed?" Toroc said turning his anger on the elf.

"Four."  Irlandra said evenly locking eyes with the dwarf.

Toroc blinked first and rather than argue with Irlandra he turned away grumbling and headed over to the

fire to prepare the bird for dinner and said. "We'll finish hashing this out in morning."

"He just worried about his family." Irlandra said to Rassel as she sat down on the floor

next to the gnome and removed her sword.

"I know, but he can't go home again anyway. He might as well put his faith that they can

handle what life throws at them." Rassel said as he pulled out his pipe glanced at it regretfully and then

put it away with a sigh.

"An easy thing for you and I to accept. A century may pass before we see those we love

again, but for dwarves who tend to live surrounded by kith and kin their whole lives, it is another

matter."

"Now your making me feel some sympathy for the bastard." Rassel said nodding toward

Toroc.

Irlandra laughed quietly and said. "Fear not dear friend by tomorrow morning you will

return to your old self."

Irlandra was correct and Rassel found himself back to his old cheerful self and enjoying a

well prepared breakfast with Galth and his family. After Irlandra and Toroc and the rest of Galth

family had excused themselves Rassel engaged Galth in conversation or as he privately thought,

subtle interrogation.

"It struck in the middle of night ripped the roof off old Merin's place, killed him and took his chest

and left, and no one has seen any sign of it since. " Galth explained after they had finished eating.

"So the dragon attacked a week ago and no one seen it since? Rassel clarified. "That's odd."  It was

strange behavior for a dragon once they moved into an era they tended to stay and eat their fill until tired

or driven out.

Galth nodded and said. "Not so odd for the Lurkwood, things appear and disappear in those woods like

dreams."

"I see." Rassel said leaning back on the stool he was seated on as he contemplate what he

had heard and what it could mean when he noticed a young human girl watching him from the

door frame, one of Galth children if he wasn't mistaken. Rassel guessed it was first time she had seen a

gnome and smiled friendly at her, she returned his smile with a hesitant grin. Galth frowned as he spotted

the girl. "Get back to your chores Lissa."

As the girl scampered off Rassel turned to the man with a sympathetic smile.

"First time seeing a gnome?" he asked.

"No, actually a group of gnomes came through a year ago. Later a group of adventures gave the

children sweets and now they expect every stranger to have some." Galth explained.

Rassel laughed and said. "It is to bad all I have is iron rations. That would cure their sweet tooth, but I

doubt the children would forgive me."

After Rassel finished his talk with Galth and thanked him for his hospitality he decided to wander

around the village.

Eventually he found Irlandra entertaining the children with simple magic tricks and slight

of hand. As he approached the crowd he saw Lissa again, she was handing out something to

other children. The kids watched munching on Lissa's treat while Irlandra spun knives through

the air with ease that only centuries of practice could get you.

When Lissa saw Rassel she started guiltily afraid that he call her out, but Rassel gave her

a reassuring wink letting her know he would not make a big deal about her skipping chores and

she was reassured enough to give him a tentative smile and gave him a rapped piece of what looked like

chocolate he thanked her and put in his pocket for later. Rassel wondered idly how long she had been

hoarding it.

       Rassel joined the children watching the show until one adults decided it was time for the

tikes to get back to work and soon Rassel and Irlandra were alone.

       "Did you enjoy the show?" Irlandra said as she watched the kids depart.

        "Immensely, its not often these days that I can look over a crowd."  Rassel quipped.

"And here I thought you preferred to perform rather than be a spectator." Irlandra teased.

Rassel decided to let conversation drop before Irlandra once again brought up how much

trouble his urge for fame had gotten him into.

It was a hundred years later and he was still unwelcome in Cheliax.

"Where is Toroc?" Rassel asked.

"He is helping the local blacksmith." Irlandra replied.

It probably reminds him of home Rassel thought.

"Yes, well its time to leave. And we can check for the dragon as we go." Rassel said.

"Toroc wont be pleased." Irlandra noted.

"He will be when I remind how much treasure a dragon can acquire in a short time.

Besides if what I've heard is true the dragon is probably already gone." Rassel said confidently.

"Could you get my pack while I get the dwarf?"

"Of course Rassel, and you can explain about the dragon hunt while you fetch him."

Irlandra said mischievously.

"I'm sure he will stop complaining after an hour or two." Rassel said.

It actually took three.

"We have been walking in this cursed woods for hours. Where is the damn dragon?"

Toroc complained.

Rassel sighed as he hiked behind the dwarf, it looked like he played up the hint of

treasure a tad too much.

"We're close to its territory Toroc. So try to be quieter."  Irlandra said from the front.

After awhile they reached a break in the woods Irlandra promptly dropped into a crouch, to examine the

ground.

As they caught up, Rassel looked around at what looked like to him an empty field of

grass while Toroc eyed the trees suspiciously.

"What is it?" Rassel asked quietly.

"We're close to the dragons lair, it landed in this meadow. " Irlandra said.

"And since I have not seen any signs that are not a week old its probably asleep in its

lair"
"Good, lets kill it, loot its lair, and leave and these woods for good." Toroc stated.

"I must be coming down with something because I agree with Toroc." Rassel joked.

Irlandra stood abruptly and set out saying. "Follow. No more talking from now on"

Rassel and Toroc nodded and followed the elf Toroc dropping to rear and readying his

axe while Rassel hummed a song so softly it was felt rather than heard, even so the magic within

it reached both his companions bringing them courage and strength.

It was slow going as Irlandra ranged ahead checking for danger then falling back to let Rassel Toroc know

it was safe to move on.

Irlandra gestured for them to stay were they were and headed to check something.

Rassel shifted from foot impatiently while Toroc leaned against a tree inspecting his axe.

Finally Rassel couldn't take the silence any more. "So how close do you think we are?"

Rassel asked quietly.

"I win." Toroc in a satisfied voice.

"Excuse me?" Rassel puzzled by the dwarf uncharacteristic non sequitur.

"When we started out I bet Irlandra you couldn't keep quite for more than hour at a time."  Toroc

explained.

"And Irlandra thought I could?" asked unsure whether to be amused or irritated.

"Nah, she thought you could only make a half hour." Toroc said.

Defiantly irritated Rassel thought vowing to get back at them both, with the appropriate

amount of style of course.

Thus preoccupied Rassel almost missed Irlandra return even though she was making no

effort at stealth.

"I found the dragon." Irlandra said without preamble.

Rassel raised an eyebrow asking. "Is this the part were you provide some strange and disturbing

information or do we simply start running?"

"Come and see." came Irlandra reply.

"I hate when she does this." Toroc complained.

"On that we can agree, depending on what we find of course." Rassel clarified.

Toroc opened his mouth to respond then decided it wasn't worth it instead he shook his head and

sighed.

They soon entered another smaller clearing filled with shattered trees, lying in the center stretched

out on the ground, was dead body of a medium sized green dragon.

"Well this was unexpected." Rassel said as he walked around the dead dragon. Huge chunks of the beast

were missing bones and all.


"What type of beast could do this to a dragon?" Toroc asked concerned.            

           "I have no idea but I am certain this is the one that attacked Telbarin." Irlandra said kicking the

remains of a shattered chest and its contents.

"Lets head back to village they need to be warned about this."

Rassel said, his companions nodded in agreement and they set out immediately.

As they reached the clearing Irlandra signaled to her friends. Something was rapidly

flying toward them.

"What the hell is that?" Toroc asked.

As it got closer they could see it was as large as the dead dragon and looked like a

beautiful cross between a dragon and a fox. It had a white pelt and rather birdlike wings,  but one

look at its snarling visage and it wasn't hard to guess what had killed and eaten the dragon.

Irlandra shrugged at Toroc's question and pulled out one of her special throwing knives,

enchanted so she could teleport to them at will with a word. Then she expertly tossed the knife into a tree

vanishing and reappearing were the blade had struck, she pulled her dagger out of tree, grabbed a branch

and pulled herself up into a crouch and then disappeared into the foliage.  

Toroc and Rassel were nowhere as fancy as they both ran for edge of the woods knowing

the beast would be upon them before they made it.

As the beast flew past Irlandra's hiding spot she threw her blade uttering the trigger word

and teleporting to the dagger in the creature's side where she promptly grabbed some fur and

expertly swung onto its back, drawing her sword and striking deep. The creature shrieked in pain and

began flying erratically to throw his attacker off.

"Damn fool elf." Toroc roared knowing who had slowed the beast. Toroc reached the woods and dove

behind a tree just as the creature flew past shrieking in pain.

"But at least she always has style." Rassel replied to the dwarf as he also ran and hid behind

another tree readying his crossbow.

Toroc didn't bother to answer to as he prepared his own crossbow.

Toroc watched the beast fly in a circle attempting to shake the elf off. Some how the elf

was staying on and slicing the beast back to ribbons.

The dwarf took careful aim and let fire at its eye as it circled back his way he was

rewarded with a roar and the beast full attention as it banked to strike at him.

Rassel hummed a spell to make himself invisible and began circling the edge of meadow

to get a clear attack, thus he had a clear view as the creature flew up to the trees Toroc was

hiding behind opened its mouth and expelled a cloud of brown mist.

"Run Toroc it, has breath weapon." Irlandra shouted a few seconds before the beast

attacked.

Rassel couldn't see Toroc but he saw the effect of the mist instantly everything began sag

and melt.

Some form of acid. But even as the thought formed Rassel caught a whiff of the melting

trees, the smell was surprising good, something he was  familiar with, and it was.

"Chocolate?" Rassel said in disbelief. The creature breath had turned everything it enveloped into

chocolate, Rassel had never heard of such a thing.

And now he couldn't decide whether to be frightened, amused or hungry.

The creature shot skyward with Irlandra still tenaciously hanging on. Rassel hurried over

to see if Toroc had been turned into a chocolate statue. Although what he could do if that was the

case Rassel wasn't sure. But a stream of dwarven curses reassured the gnome that dwarf was all

right.

"What the hell is stuff?" Toroc asked as stumbled out of what had been woods.

"One of the wonders of the world." Rassel said surprising Toroc. As Toroc looked around

for the invisible gnome Rassel explained.

"Chocolate my good dwarf, the creature breath turns whatever it hits into chocolate."

"Never heard of the stuff." Toroc said.  "And where did Irlandra and the critter and go?"

Rassel dipped his finger in a rather sad looking chocolate bush licking his finger clean

before answering. " Chocolate is a delicacy that comes from the south, as for Irlandra I don't know were

she or the creature went."

A sudden flash of light and a roar of pain signaled the location of the missing elf. As both the dwarf

and gnome turned to the source of noise in time to watch the creature fall out of the sky with Irlandra still

clinging to its back. Abruptly the creature vanished in a puff of smoke, a moment later Irlandra's fall

slowed.

"Where did it go?" Toroc exclaimed as he glanced around just to make sure the creature

wasn't going to reappear.   

"It received enough damage to be sent home." Rassel guessed.

"So it was summoned, by whom?" Toroc asked looking back at the floating elf.

"Well I have an idea." Rassel said patting his pocket and releasing his spell.

"How was Irlandra casting spells like that?" Toroc asked puzzled by Irlandra sudden display of magic.

"As well as being a skilled warrior and tracker Irlandra is also an able spellcaster." Rassel explained.

"Huh, what type?" Toroc said curious.

"You know I don't know, I've never asked.  A wizard I think or maybe a sorcerer. " mused

Rassel.                                                                

"You known her toward a two hundred odd years and don't know what spells she can

cast?" Toroc said incredulous.

"Well it just never came up in conversation, normally Irlandra doesn't need anything

more than her blade to deal with problems anyway." Rassel explained.

Toroc shook his head as if to clear it. "You two wouldn't notice a cave in 'till after it buried you." said

the dwarf disgusted.

Rassel glanced at dwarf asking. "What does that mean anyway?"

"Come on lets go meet her." Toroc said ignoring the gnome. And headed for Irlandra's

landing place.

"Good idea." Rassel replied following.

They soon found Irlandra calmly examining her weapons as she leisurely returned.

        "An interesting creature, quite unusual." Irlandra said.

        "We should warn the village about it." Toroc said.

       "If you like, but I doubt they need any warning."


"What if it attacks the villagers?" Toroc asked surprised by her answer.

"It was an Eidolon, a summoned creature. It followed the dragon from the village and slew it. It will

not attack anyone unless ordered to by its master. " Rassel explained.

"It attacked us." Toroc objected.

"Actually, no it didn't, at least not unprovoked, we attacked it first if you recall."  Rassel

explained.

"Because it was trying to eat us." Toroc exclaimed.

"It did look like it was coming to attack but I believe it was retrieving pieces of the

dragon for its master." Irlandra explained.

"Its master, who is its master?" Toroc stated confused.                           

Rassel grinned and pulled from his pocket a battered piece of chocolate resembling some

type of scales.  "You may not have noticed, but Galth's daughter Lissa has been passing

out some interesting snacks." Rassel said.

"The girl eats raw dragon?" Toroc said skeptically.

"No but I bet she loves chocolate." Rassel said.

Toroc blinked confused and said "What are you talking about "

"The creature was a Eidolon, it was probably first summoned in response to

dragon attack but since then it's been bringing bits of transformed dragon back to its master."  

Rassel explained.

"Lets inform the girl parents of her powers, who knows in a scant ten or twenty

years perhaps she will join us. " Irlandra said.

Rassel raised an eyebrow at Irlandra comment but let the statement pass saying.  "Well once we let

the villagers know what is going on we should return and find the dragons lair."


"Finally you're saying something sensible." Toroc said.

"My dear dwarf, every utterance of mine is solid wisdom." Rassel said grandly.

Toroc snorted at that.

Rassel ignored the dwarf saying. "When we get back to civilization lets find a bar and get seriously

drunk."

Both companions agreed whole heartily with that suggestion.