21 Schemes and Ponders

Ponders. Is that somehow related to people who like to make small lakes? Hm.


We are now heroes of the day, that's for sure. I have heaps of new little friends, being unexpectedly a hero of the halflingkind. It is a reason for me to study their language enough to get by. I'm also practicing my makeup skills.. those came handy with the orc nest infiltration, and trying to come in terms with how to ride Neigh without needing to bribe him with apples all the time. He's a good horse, strong and skilled with how to carry a rider... only polite that I also learn to do my part. But there are things that have left me puzzled, so more on those in a moment. There is something very rotten going on.

Emma... she's a darling. Very pretty but that's just a part of it. She's strong, can hold her own in a fight, has a nice smile and good manners, a fine personality. Smells good too, like females tend to. Isn't that all that one would need in a companion? Having her around would be good.. she's somewhere now, last I heard working with the town watch when not hanging around at the adventurer guild house or using the treasure.

Rivyre has been busy teaching the dog new tricks, but more so, with the halflings and laughing at my accent. We'll see if they will return to the village or stay in the walled town for now. It could be that there are more orcs out there.

And Drai.. his exploits have gotten me worried. Decimating the orcish force has made him and Emma famous.. but they also make him a target. Killing folks is dangerous as everyone who dies tends to have friends, relatives, and people whom he or she owes money to. He also annoyed the dragon by leading the orcs to its nest, so I hope the big lizard is more understanding than motherly. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, especially if the said woman is protecting her offspring, big as a house, and has a breath that can set places on fire.

And then... the palace. The prince asking us in person to save his fiancee. Actually paying us money. Letting me pat him on the back. Not protecting a village right outside the town walls.. and his daddy is gone to place unknown. A surprisingly heavy fiancee with an affinity for the dragonkind, and the absence of dead orcs, and the presence of swords, near the broken carriage. And then the over-confident orcish horde that outnumbered us ten to one, and that's counting Neigh, but was slaughtered with only one of us so much as taking a scratch. Well, two scratches.. with an actual treasure chest of jewelry, gems, and coins.

My guess? The orcs never touched the fiancee, who is herself a dragon, either half or fully. She was being escorted, and the mommy dragon rescued one of her own from human captors. The mystery box we carried enabled the prince to extort her to come to the town anyhow. There is intrigue afoot, involving the palace at least and the city watch, and enough money to bride 50 orcs to loiter in the vicinity perhaps as excuse for something. They hit the halfling village because they were bored, and had no reason to expect anyone to intervene. Well. It was not a bad plan, I guess, except that when we intervened, things went awry for the schemers.

And now they are scurrying, making secondary plans. They are probably also very annoyed at us.

And we have no idea who they are.