a hin and a campsite, northwest of Gullykin.

[sobebop]

many years ago...


The Beau name was strong, and admired in the Hin community. Its line consisted of adventurous stronghearts, well respected for their exploits along the sword coast. One such Hin, Flow-Beau, a champion of Arvoreen; his exploits legendary in the eyes of his race!


Flow-Beau was a successful adventurer, bringing in much needed gold for Arvoreen, and hin settlements along the sword coast. The death of his respected, and proud father gave Flow-Beau pause, burying him gave Flow-Beau time to reflect. He continued adventuring, and donating to Arvoreen; however, he wed, and began a family. This hin family: a strong, and wise mother, an over protective sister, and one son, who would later be called Baris were set up in Gullykin and provided the gold needed to live comfortably for many years.


Flow-Beau would have provided for his family longer; but alas, his spark was extinguished. Many were distraught by this news, and the clergy used divine magic to search out their champion's location. They told the mother, and at a later time the mother passed the news on to the son, Flow-Beau was last seen near Durlag's tower. He was indeed lost, and would not return. The young family would be ok, for now; however, the event changes everything.


Some rumored their mighty champion had been cursed, and said the curse was of such power, his family would be effected too. Later events would give much strength to this theory; but for now, we have a strong, and wise mother raising two very promising young Hin. The young male Beau is eager to pick up where his father left off; he has no idea the danger. He has no idea of the curse.







There is a campfire, near Gullykin, only a nomads distance away. It is known for smoking, and strongheart tales of adventure along the sword coast. Most nights the camp is cold and bare. Other nights, it's ablaze, a towering inferno, with dozens of young hin dancing, playing, singing, telling stories. This is one of those nights; but, a bit darker.


Always looking for something, or someone, Baris-Beau headed to a known strongheart campsite, northwest of Gullykin. "Baris-Beau, Baris-Beau." he heard in whispers, there usually were whispers when Baris was around other hin. He is seen giving small silver coins to young hins, some of the hins will not accept, and a group of three hin gather, seeming to discuss an urgent matter. Baris looks up, and grins wide. A very small hin approaches. Baris pulls out a bolt, and a vial. He can be seen putting a thick black oil onto the bolt, and asking the small hin to inspect it. The little hin seems to refuse, but Baris dabs his own finger in the oil, and puts it to his tongue! This seems to calm the tiny hin, and they retreat inside a tent with Baris emerging a bit later.



Looking at the site, there are many hin present, and the fire is ablaze. Baris decides to share a story with any of the young hin who care to listen. He kneels by the fire, and describes the following events...



"Aye, I was right at the gate of the friendly arms! I was all the way into the heart of the knight's lands, and it wasn't easy getting there lads." Baris quickly reaches back to secure his crossbow on his back, seeming relieved upon grasping it. "I was gonna go in, all the way, past the gate, maybe trade with one of them, but that's when i saw him, a Tallfellow. He was looking damn well too, an adventurers life lads! Tommy Tallfellow, ye know him. Won the hin shooting contest three years in a row now." Baris spits into his hands, and rubs them together, he takes out a bolt, and balances it on his fingertip, continuing to speak. "Lads, ye know im good, ya've seen me shoot. I am amazing; but, let me tell you, Tommy Tallfellow is the best shot this side of the gate, and there aint no doubts about that. His crossbow is one of the most excellent quality, nothing you would find at a weapons merchant, even in the gate. This device shot fiery bolts, and Tommy was able to enchant them even further with his magic. I'd not seen a finer device."



Baris stands up, "Ye won't believe me, but I'll tell it anyway. Me an Tommy ended up in an orc lair. Tommy is not one for wasting time, he was there for purpose; he was tasked, by some human in the gates, to kill an orc chieftain, an' bring back its head! We'd been looking for a cave, for several days, he said he knew where it was. I did not argue, and we did find it alright. I will tell you the truth, I was only gonna travel with Tommy to the cave, and dared not enter; but, we ended up deep in orc lands, and it would have been foolish, nay deadly, to separate. Aye, we went into that cave, and we done things to the orcs you can't even imagine, I hope ye never have to. We fought our way through the lair, kill after kill, some orcs taking six, or seven well placed bolts before they fell. In the end, the bastards lair worked against them, we came at 'em boys, we took it to them! I tell ya, the cheif... the chief was the easiest, but it was messy, and iffin Tommy hadn't shot so true, I might not be here to tell it."



Baris sits back down, checks his crossbow, and leans forward putting his head into his hands. He breathes deeply, and lets out a strange laugh, "we almost caught the chief sleeping, hahahahaa! Aye, the fool slept though the battle, and was in his chambers with not a weapon, or armor to protect itself. I was a good ten feet in front of Tommy, within a few steps of the sleeping giants bed. I may have drug my foot, just a bit, along the chamber floor; because, the orc chief shot up from bed, and was on his feet before I could raise my crossbow. He took one large step, and seemed to not see me, it leaped right toward Tommy!" Baris clears his throat, "now, if I wasn't there, I wouldn't believe it myself, but this is the honest truth about what happened to that chief. Just as he was about to step over me, he caught sight of me, and looked down; I pulled the trigger on me trusty crossbow... The shot would have been deadly, but me weapon failed me, and the bolt did not fire! The chief grabbed me by the throat, and just as I felt my neck about to give, I heard a loud click behind me. The orc looked up at Tommy, and I fought to stay conscious. There was a distinct sliding metal sound, and another loud click. Tommy shot at the beast, two bolts ablaze with fire, and magic simultaneously streaked toward the orc chief. I dunno what kind o' bolts these where, but they hit true, both of 'em slamming into the orc's face! There seemed to be an explosion of fire, and magic of sorts. My neck was immediately freed from the monster's grip, and as the scene cleared the chief's head was cleanly destroyed! The body slumped to the ground, with no hint of the head that used to be atop it! "



Baris the unlucky laughs a hardy laugh, "hahahaha, Tommy would not get his head that day! Aye lads, Tommy Tallfellow be the best shot this side of the gate. Ye can believe iffin ye want, but I know it to be true, I had to wash the half cooked blood, and brains out of me dreadlocks, and cloak afterwards. Ya don't want to be like me lads, ye want ta be like Tommy Tallfellow. Now, I best be off, I have business in the keep of candles. I am in the troll slaying business these days boys! Ah, remember, you don't want to be like Baris-Beau." Baris mumbles, and whispers something to himself. He stands up, and is seen searching the camp for someone, or something before gathering himself, and heading off, northwest back toward the knight's lands.

[sobebop]

Following the winds of Akadi, and fortifying his constitution, and speed with empowered magics, Gustov Windsong travels the tradewinds northwest of Gullykin very quickly. One recent night, Gus spots a fire in the distance, the winds of Akadi fiercely flowing towards it. He obliges.

As he approaches, Gustov realizes an enormous bonfire, set upon my dozens, and dozens of hin nomads, warriors, and adventurers. He thinks to himself, I did not intend to find this, very interesting, very interesting indeed!

Gustov has no social skills; nevertheless, a pouch of gold, and gems being passed around, and his own three wine bottles grasping much use, he was rather accepted, at times even the life of the party. Many tales be told around this fire, and Gustov had brought one of his own.

"Ye ever been killed, lads?!" Gustov started. "I was traveling with capable adventurers, we'd left Baragost, and headed south. The pace was nice, with Niv the monk, Merek the devil, and Akadi's helpful winds, we made excellent time. Though, we did begin to run out of room, and had need to make camp soon. Aye, that's when we saw the beast! A wyvern, crouched, and already eyeing us as its meal. Niv be faster than most, and able to move into shadows; but, before he had time to reach the beast, Merek had blasted it good, and me own twin bolts from me heavy crossbow slammed into the animal's side. Niv was on the beast, and Merek closed a bit more. I stayed back some, and let two more bolts fly while I still had a good line. Four bolts ruptured the beasts side as another blast from Merek hit. Niv moved into position, and simply ended the thing, a strange grace, he brought the beast down to the ground, it's head level with Niv's waist, and struck hard with his knee to the creatures neck. The wyven made a pitiful sound, and slumped.


My eyes widened with glory as I raised my crossbow high in the air, and saluted Niv for a good kill! Niv's eyes widened, and he charged me with incredible speed, pointing, and shouting. Merek, about mid to Niv, and I, shot a blast right at me, the blast streaking just to my side, spinning me around. As I come about, I see another beast swooping right on me. This one must have been twice the size of the last, and just as I raised me crossbow ta fire at point blank range, the untamed brute's tail stinger punched through me, right in the gut. I could feel the poison surging into me body. Me arms slumped before I could even pull me trigger, twin bolts fired harmlessly into the ground beside the thing. I died moments later." Gustov looks down, and shivers. He looks back up, and sees the mood, and tone of the campfire depressed. "But I'm 'ere now!" He raises a bottle, and pulls hard. Casting a cantrip to make the fire roar, as a playful wind hits the large bonfire, a sight to behold! There is no more talk of death that night, with dancing, singing, drinking, and smoking dominating the rest of what Gustov remembers.

Gustov awakes in Candlekeep inn, not entirely sure how he got there, or if he's even left.

[sobebop]

Akadi’s winds blow Gustov to a place he has been before, a nomadic campsite. This night, a large gathering of eager, skilled and sometimes ruthless hin are in attendance. With fine food, and drink, and seeming endless coin the genasi fits in well. He tells tales of Waterdeep, and portals of awesome power, deeds seeming impossible; but, the wise and clever of the gathered know the baldurian has been very weatherd. Hours pass, days and nights pass; copious, extravagant, satisfying times pass. Where am I, where is Gustov. A multistory bonfire blazes, as an elder fire elemental amazes, powerful magics conjuring an impossible fire within, alongside, and out of the gusto. Why did the winds bring him here again, for fun perhaps?

Gustov's mind fragments and plays tricks on him. Bottles, pipes, and wagers are passed throughout the large gathering. Gustov places a bet only the bravest of the adventuring hin can consider. Light flashes, and a most powerful magic crackles. Gustov and a party of hin sit, undisturbed and surrounded by piles of gold, gems, and artifacts… the wager placed before now meaning something. Even with this lure of treasure many of the hin recognize they are out of their element, and panic washes across many faces. Gustov pulls a lever on his gnomish heavy crossbow, and is handed twin bolts from a capable halfling. Gustov readies the crossbow, and says, “one shot, from this device, that’s the wager.”

The mood of the hollow chamber changes with haste. The air genasi gestures a free hand, and speaks a strange language causing a noticeably powerful ward to take effect and waits, ready eyes ablaze with focus, and fury. Something comes from beneath, a crackle of magic in the air, only the most sensitive are aware. Some are agreed with great treasures; but, others peer down into the bottomless cavern unsure, one even hiding within a pile of silver, gold, and platinum in duplicates. The most observant of the groups eyes widen as a great bizarre creature floats level to the situation, revealing itself, multi eyes taking stock of its surroundings. The hin watching panic, unable to function. Gustov already aimed, waits. A high pitched sound is heard, and one’s nose begins to bleed, time seems still. The beholder, a very young one for any who’d know, takes control. Eye stocks tensed, a strange magic incoming. Click. Tzzzzzzzzz…… Thuththuth. The beast falls. Gustov lowers his crossbow and holds out his hand. One of the hin goes to place a small pouch of coin in it, but pauses. The sounds of a reasonable pile of gems, coins, plates, and bars sliding, shifting and crashing break an echo into the chamber as a lone medium sized halfling emerges, dripping with wealth. A silver dragon statue the size of two gnomes with apple-sized cherry ruby eyes stares at the group. The hin pulls his pouch back, and the group erupts into laughter. Only the best rogues of the bunch, if any, acquire anything of life-changing value. The tone of the chamber still very gloom as some of the party realize their laughter is foolish. A sense suggests more doom approaches as Gustov speaks, “We are not safe here, this was foolish. More of those will come, most likely much larger, and I will not be able to carry all of you out of here! We need to move, I know a way out, but it won’t be child’s play." The group gathers, and moves with incredible determination.

The rag-tag party rushes over an underground bridge, passed and through crafted doorways into some den. A fierce howl can be heard silenced almost as quickly as it yelped. A pile of treasure, a king’s treasure sits again, dark and undisturbed. The hin talk of dog men the size of huts, and a troll with the heartiest appetite. Wait, there must have been a flash, and crackle of magic light, yes. We are back at the campsite again. Some hin refuse to believe the tales, others take silver and gold coins with grace. Gustov, in no condition to do anything heads to the Gate knowing he will most likely stop at the high hedge, and Candlekeep. He pauses to check the wind, and surely, it blows that way.