A Simple Group

A group of straggled, poor, but enterprising adventurers converged on a lonely tavern, nestled on a traveled road. Sixteen in number, they also possess some random livestock: a female cow, two male goats, and a male sheep.

After negotiating for use of the common room, they purchased a meager meal of bread and water. They observed some other dirty travelers before going to bed for the night.

Waking up in the morning, the group was tempted by the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. A few succumbed to the rich price of 1 silver for the meal, but most settled for bread and water again.

Golden (a female human weaver) and Slob (a male herbalist) clumsily attempted to stir up conversation with the fellow travelers, but were horribly unsuccessful. After being warned by one of the maids that the mood was turning ugly, the group left the tavern and considered their options. The animals had eaten provender over the evening, and they considered the position of the tavern, which was situated on the east side of a muddy road, that roughly ran north to south. There was a sign near the tavern, pointing north, that said "Hommlet".

Bacon, a woodcutter of some renown, had an idea of making a cart from available lumber. Searching around, he found an dead aspen tree. With his handy hand axe, and some assistance, he was able to fell the tree. However, he then considered the problem at hand, and realized that he didn't have the skill to make a cart or really anything from the chopped tree.

After some discussion, the group decided to proceed north on the muddy road. About an hour in, the group realized that they only had one water-skin with about two liters of precious liquid between them all. Swiss, a hunter, was sent ahead of the group to scout out a water source. He searched for about a half hour to no success. He came back and informed the group, where on they decided that the best choice was to go back to the tavern.

They went back to the tavern, and talked to the owner. He indicated that he did indeed have water-skins for sale, and also some rye bread. They bought eight water skins at 6 silver a piece, and ten loaves of rye bread (all that was currently in stock) for a copper a piece. The cook was preparing a savory meal of roast chicken, and Dusty, a lusty dwarven miner, could not quench his desire for a tasty meal. The rest of the group tightened their belts and tersely waited for the hungry dwarf to finish his expensive meal (3 silver).

By this time, it was past noon. The group retraced their steps on the road and passed the point that they had traveled earlier in the day. As they traveled on the crooked road, the livestock became more animated, and moved quicker on the road. The group was indecisive, and the the animals made it around a corner before they responded. The group rounded the corner to find a bubbling creek with a footbridge before them, and the livestock greedily drinking.

As the group approached the creek, a buzzing sound came to their ears, and seven basketball sized insects rapidly approached them. These were hungry mosquitoes, and one of them drained sufficient  blood from Caleb, a potato farmer that he succumbed. Call (a scribe), threw a dart and downed an insect. Many of the group realized that their weapons were dangerous in such close combat (a few of the group had the insects attached and sucking blood). Many used their bare hands to slap and smash the insects. Several were downed in this manner. Unfortunately, Relentless (an elven navigator), used an iron spike in a haphazard manner, and damaged Timmy (a rutabaga farmer). Fortunately, the group dispatched the remaining insects. The livestock were all left alone, and sated their thirst. The group, realizing that they were both thirsty and filthy, sated their thirst and cleaned themselves off of blood and muck.

Evening approached and the group decided that this was an ideal spot to spend the evening, especially as there was a meadow that had been used by travelers in the past. They were able to make a fire, using a portion of a bundle of wood and some parchment to get it started. A guard was established, and sleeping positions around the fire were setup.

A few hours after the group had gotten to sleep, the guards had let the fire go low. A squeaking sound was heard to the south. The group moved to alert the sleepers, and Swiss, using a lantern, moved towards the creek. The livestock had been tethered to impromptu posts. Unfortunately, seven rapidly flying bats attacked the livestock. The sheep was taken down, and the cow and one of the goats took wounds. The group fought in the dark, and were able to take down five of the bats. The remaining two, sated by sheep and cow blood, flew off into the night. Matt, (a radish farmer), somewhat skillfully cut up the dead sheep and prepared some portions. The rest of the group treated to the wounds and prepared to sleep again.