Prologue (part 2): The Liberator

When I got to the Wild Plains, I decided the best course of action in getting started at this adventuring business would be to find some slightly more experienced adventurers and try and get a feel for it. My first adventuring group practically found me; a charming half-elven fellow sat himself down on the bar stool next to me and told me I looked like the adventurous type. After he elaborated I figured that it wasn't an awkward pick up line, but that he was looking for heroes to join his band of adventurers. That was how I found myself in grouped together with Vim Vexley and the Liberators.


 They had pledged to fight against the slave trade that was plaguing the land. However, rather than simply charging at every caravan head on on the off chance that they were slavers, they had a scheme to canvas each one. Vim and I would distract the caravan by appearing to be lost travellers looking for directions. While we had their attention, Spider, the halfling rogue, would sneak in from behind and check out the caravan. If she gave the signal that they were slavers, we would attack, with the warrior Rogan providing crossbow fire from the treeline. If they were just merchants, then we would simply bid them farewell and leave.


 I have so far been with the Liberators on four such missions, but we have yet to find any slavers. Vim's benefactors finance us well with each mission, no matter the outcome, so it isn't a lost cause, but I can't help but hope that the next mission is a bit more interesting.

 All sorts of travellers in the Wild Plains wandered far and wide, but they and Nathaniel Te'ressa all had one thing in common: they were always well-armed.

And as the half elf duo wandered down a path well-trodden with gleaming longswords swinging at their waists, they were well aware of the dangers at every corner, around the trunk of every tree, and perhaps even down the road. As usual, both companions were arguing heatedly, snatching a crumpled map to and fro and gesticulating in wild abandon.

"Look," Vim Vexley demanded, jabbing an elegant digit at a random spot on the map, "we're supposed to be here by now, but we're not! You've gone and led us in the wrong direction!"
"Don't look at me like that! I certainly wasn't the one who decided to turn left when the sign clearly pointed 'Solemn Trail' to the right! You took us down the wrong turn and now I'm getting us back on track!"

There was a flash to their left, and Nathaniel and Vim both paid it great heed, while still arguing. They'd spotted a target down the road! Time for Operation Diversion.

The two carried on down, looking fairly obviously like a pair of travellers that had wandered down the wrong path and are now-

"-lost! Clearly we should've taken the turn at the fork half a mile back!"
"What do you mean! There's clearly a fork up ahead! That's where we need to turn!"
"I'm telling you, you've got that map all wrong!

They crested the upper part of the path just before it dipped lazily. Sure enough, off on the side of the road not far off was a parked caravan and two tents. Two tough-looking men and a bored-looking elf seemed to be guarding the site, and all three were watching them closely now, unusually alert. One of the men turned to the woman sitting in the tent and spoke to her, but Nathaniel couldn't hear over the top of their 'heated debate'.

Then the elven woman stood up and moved to the covered cart and the man started approaching them. Show time!