![[First Meeting.jpg]] (Left to Right: [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], The Warrior, [[Ellette|Ellette]]) The cart wheels rattled along the uneven dirt road, carrying four strangers toward their first shared task, a simple cave-clearing job for a nearby town. [[Ellette|Ellette]], the Eladrin sorcerer, sat near the back, her arms crossed and her eyes half on the passing trees, half on her companions. The others, a silent human fighter, a green Tiefling druid named [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], and [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]], a gold-scaled dragonborn wizard, exchanged cautious glances as the driver steered through the wild countryside. After a few awkward introductions and unconvincing reassurances of competence, the group agreed to at least _try_ working together. That fragile sense of camaraderie didn’t last long. ![[Goblin Ambush.jpg]] The cart came to a slow, uneasy stop. Ahead, sprawled across the path, was a dead horse, gutted and riddled with arrows. [[Ellette|Ellette]] stepped down first, hand already crackling with faint traces of arcane light. “That’s… not a good sign.” The group approached carefully, eyes scanning the treeline. The forest was still, too still, until the silence broke with the _snap_ of a twig and the _whistle_ of an arrow. “AMBUSH!” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] roared, ducking behind the cart. Figures burst from the underbrush, goblins, snarling and screeching, loosing arrows and rushing forward with jagged blades. The battle was chaotic and fierce, but short-lived. The party fought them off, cutting down most and sending the rest fleeing into the woods. As the dust settled, [[Ellette|Ellette]] turned and glared at [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], who was fast asleep against a rock, completely unaware of the chaos that had unfolded. “Are you _kidding_ me?” she hissed. When the goblins were dispatched, the group decided to follow the tracks leading away from the ambush, hoping to find their lair before another attack. But before they could set off, [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], apparently deciding the job was done, took a long drag from a smouldering bush and promptly passed out again. [[Ellette|Ellette]] stared at him, hands on her hips. “You know what?” she said, turning to the silent fighter beside her. “That’s reason enough for a rest.” The fighter nodded slowly. [[Ellette|Ellette]] pointed to [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]], then to her own head, miming a pair of horns. The fighter, still mute, gave a small shrug of agreement. Moments later, [[Ellette|Ellette]] and the fighter snapped both of [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]]’s horns clean off. “Maybe _that_ will teach him not to fall asleep on the job,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] muttered, dusting her hands. The fighter gave a silent nod. “Oh right,” she added with a smirk. “I forgot you don’t say much.” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] chuckled from behind his book. “What do we _call_ you, then, sir?” When [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] finally awoke, he reached up to scratch his head and froze mid-motion. “What the hell—?! My horns! _Why?!_” The fighter held them out, one in each hand. “You could have _asked!_” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] groaned. “Suppose I’ll just… stick them back on. Anyone got glue?” The fighter shook his head. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] squinted. “You still haven’t said a word, have you? What’s wrong, cat got your tongue?” The fighter opened his mouth. Half a tongue. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] recoiled. “Oh gods, _eww!_” “Don’t be rude,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] snapped, smacking the back of his head. [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] looked thoughtful. “Well, that explains the silence.” “So, Warrior,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said, turning to the fighter. “What _do_ we call you?” The man pondered for a moment, then began an awkward game of charades. [[Ellette|Ellette]] and [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] looked at each other, confused. [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] grinned. “Ooo, I love games. Are you… a sheep? A goat? Grass? Salmon? I’m hungry.” The fighter shook his head at every guess. Finally, [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] leaned back. “You know what? I think I’ll call you _[[Rock, the Silent Fighter|Rock]]._” The fighter blinked, considered it, then gave a slow thumbs up. “Rock it is,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said with a small smile. “Pleased to meet you, Rock,” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] added with a bow. “Right,” [[Ellette|Ellette]] said, standing and brushing herself off. “Rest’s over. We leave in an hour.” ![[Goblin Cave.jpg]] Following the goblin tracks led them to the mouth of a cave where a river poured in, its current rushing into darkness. “The water’s the fastest way,” [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]] reasoned. “Or the _dumbest,_” [[Ellette|Ellette]] replied, but the group pressed forward. The current proved far stronger than expected. One by one, they were swept under. When they finally dragged themselves onto the cavern floor, sputtering and soaked, [[Morgar Goldgard|Morgar]]’s golden scales had paled. “I hate water,” he wheezed.![[Drowning.jpg]] Their screams and splashing had alerted the entire lair. Within moments, goblins and wolves swarmed from the shadows. The fight was brutal, arrows, snarls, magic flashing off the cave walls, until, one by one, the adventurers fell unconscious. When [[Ellette|Ellette]] came to, it was to the soft crackle of a torch and the faint sting of herbs. Rock was kneeling beside her, bandaging her arm. The others stirred. They had survived. Barely. “Still breathing,” [[Karrut Styk|Karrut]] muttered, rubbing his head. “That’s a start.” After a brief rest, they pressed deeper into the lair. Moving silently, they followed flickering light until they reached a chamber. A campfire. Two bugbears, asleep beside it. [[Ellette|Ellette]] raised a finger to her lips and crept forward. Her blade whispered through the air and across the first bugbear’s throat. “One down,” she whispered. The second stirred, twitching awake. In a sudden panic, [[Ellette|Ellette]] lunged, stabbing again and again until the body went still. She turned back to the others, breathless. “The way is clear.” The party emerged from the cave battered but victorious. Their cart was gone, the horses dead. They had to walk the long road back to town, sore, bloodied, and, somehow, closer than before. Their adventure had only just begun. [[Chapter 2. Into the Village]]