(Also on Ice) Anzelm Levethix

[Cowpies77]

This is a Solo game for ChronoWarrior's character "Anzelm Levethix"

The sun rises over a village of Kelliripa slowly as birds call out. Anzelm's eyes open up and glance out at the frost-covered window. It was early in the winter season when the traveling swordcaster found the village of four- or five-hundred souls nestled in the hills. Anzelm had lived long enough to know that traveling through snow and sleet for several months is a good way to die of hypothermia, or at least murder one's enthusiasm for traveling, so he opted to instead stay in the community. It was certainly... something, and while the local guards here weren't particularly great, they did have a few tricks and tips for the Elf's style that he'd found helpful. That, and Anzelm found out that the Innkeeper, D'marcus Weiber, was at one point a former adventurer, soldier and championship boxer and had quite a few entertaining stories to tell on slow days, such as when he participated in the Dragon Wars of 472 and was the only guy in his company that decided to have a brawl with a fire-breathing monster with his bare fists.

With little else to do for several months, Anzelm had volunteered to join the Town Guard, and found the work stimulating. There were the occasional goblins or wolves getting a little too close to people's homes for comfort, but usually it was more about escorting a drunken lout home after a night of drinking.

However, times were rather tough for the town. A bad growing season for the local farmers had left the village unsure if it had enough food for the winter. As time passed with the season, it became clear that it wasn't enough. The town worked hard and scraped up most of their spare coin and savings and used it to buy a few more weeks of food, enough to last them until a good thaw when they could start planting again.

The local mayor came into The Blue Bulls Inn as Anzelm was sitting down for breakfast, consisting of Cheese, Bacon and a pomegranate. She's rather charming and (although he would feel rather uncomfortable to say it) attractive halfling woman by the name of Elly Shona. Her appearance always left the elf wondering just how early she had to get up to get ready for the morning, as she always looked impeccable. Her clothes were almost unusually clean considering the locals, her curled hair always fell in place that often made it looked like it was sculpted, and she often smelt (rather nicely) of flowers, usually lilac or lavender.
Casting her eyes about, she stopped when she saw the magus, she makes her way over to him and says sweetly, motioning to a seat across from him "Is this seat taken, Anzelm?" Asking was mostly a cutesy formality, as the elf has long since realized that she didn't particularly care and sat down in it anyway. Today appeared to be a Lilac day, from the smell of it.
"You're not busy today, are you?" Elly says, frowning a little. "I was wondering if you would mind heading out with a couple guards and checking up on the food delivery. It's supposed to be coming in soon, but I sent two runners down to go check on it's status and they're not back yet." Sighing as she rests her head on the table (not a very difficult feat for someone who should probably be in a booster seat or sitting on a phone book), she says "With bandits and all sorts of natural disasters, it'd do my mind a lot of good if you would say yes. With the town at stake, I'd rather be overly cautious than caught off guard."

As the swordcaster ate his bacon, he knew in the back of his mind that the village probably wouldn't be able to afford another food shipment if something happened to this one, which is probably why Mayor Shona is so worried.  

[NaturesProfit]

Anzelm finishes chewing and swallowing his bacon before he responds.

"Hey hey, no worries about me saying no, sweet cheeks. Can't really say no to a pretty face like yours. Besides, no food for the village also means there's no food for the inn people, and that includes you and me. If the town guards are ready, then I'm ready too. If the shipment is being delayed due to more bandits, I'm gonna teach them a REAL good lesson about why you don't go and steal."

Anzelm finishes up his breakfast, and decides to save the pomegranate for later. He then begins to head to meet up with the guards.  

[Cowpies77]

ChronoWarrior

Anzelm finishes up his breakfast, and decides to save the pomegranate for later. He then begins to head to meet up with the guards.

As Anzelm makes his way out of the inn, he passes by the local shrine for Abadar, with the Half-Elf priestess Jolla Freid sweeping some snow from the steps. She looks up and, raising and eyebrow while smiling, she says "It's unusual to see you out and about so early, Levethix. I thought you'd still be bundled up with your blanket next to the fire. It's a good day for some hot tea. Would you like some?"  

[NaturesProfit]

Anzelm waves in a friendly manner.

"Hey how ya doing, Freid? And sure some hot tea sounds nice. That's one way of warming up the body. Going to need as much warmth as possible before I help look for the village food shipment. I don't suppose you or anyone want to accompany us, do ya? If you wanna come it'd be great, since it's always be nice to have a doc nearby in case someone has a case of the ouchies."

As he talks, Anzelm adjusts his clothing a bit so to minimize heat loss.  

[Cowpies77]

ChronoWarrior

Letting Anzelm inside, she serves up some hot tea in some clay cups and she thinks it over a bit. Shrugging, she says "I guess it'll help the community a bit. So, Yes. I'll tag along, Levethix. Just... try to not hurt yourself too badly. Give me a few minutes to finish up my sweeping and a little tidying up, and I should be good to go. As for anyone else... Mortimer is probably on duty with Bansky at the gate. Xessus is still probably in his house with his mom and a book. Or you could ask Sly, although he's probably still asleep at the inn."  

[NaturesProfit]

Anzelm closes his eyes and ponders his choices for a moment, in deep thought. After a little while, he opens his eyes up and has a look of excitement.

"Alright then, I know who else to bring along. I'll gonna pay voodoo boy a visit first. I think his hocus pocus brand of magic will work wonders on the enemy. Then Bansky, or as I like to call him, Sir-Powerful-And-Mighty. I'll meetcha back in a bit."

Anzelm leaves the inn, in search of Xessus's house. Upon reaching his house, he gives a polite knock on the door.  

[Cowpies77]

ChronoWarrior

Anzelm closes his eyes and ponders his choices for a moment, in deep thought. After a little while, he opens his eyes up and has a look of excitement.

"Alright then, I know who else to bring along. I'll gonna pay voodoo boy a visit first. I think his hocus pocus brand of magic will work wonders on the enemy. Then Bansky, or as I like to call him, Sir-Powerful-And-Mighty. I'll meetcha back in a bit."

Anzelm leaves the inn, in search of Xessus's house. Upon reaching his house, he gives a polite knock on the door.

Jolla calls out "Your funeral, Levethix~"

Anzelm knocks on the door of Silvari house to talk to Xessus. The door to the samsaran's house creaks open. Xessus and his mother were never very concerned with locking up, and no one generally wanted to walk off with something. The stink eye Xessus' mother gives has actually made people ill.
The floorboards are creaking off to the right, and Anzelm gulps as he walks in to the room. The room is barren of people, with a fire going on in a small fire pit in the ground, and something smelling like it's bubbling out of one of the lesser rings of Hell. The hairs on Anzelm's neck start giving him goosebumps, not aided by Xessus whispering into Anzelm's ear "It's soup."

Anzelm jumps a little and stares into the pale white orbs that are Xessus' eyes, framed on his pale blue face. A familiar headwrapping on his head keeping his shaved head warm. "Mother wanted some. Would you like a bowl? Fresh salamander blood and newt eye does the soul good. And hot fluids are good for raising your core temperature and staving off infections." Raising his hand, he adds "It just needed some basil."  

[NaturesProfit]

"He... hey there Xessus. S-sure is a nice day, eh? Yeah... I suppose I'll have a bowl. T-thanks a ton, pal."

After having him offer soup, he slowly calms down, although still slightly unnerved by Xessus's sudden presence. Before he gets a bowl, he asks the creeping man.

"So anyways, I'm here because I wanna ask ya if you're up to helping me and Freid out in looking into a shipment of food that's supposed ta be coming soon to the village. She's afraid something might have happened. I figure your magic can be of a great help. Of course, if that's okay with your ma. I don't wanna be angering her for taking you out somewhere that may be dangerous. Just sayin'."  

[Cowpies77]

Xessus, wearing a loose fitting robe, glides slowly towards the cauldron and, after adding the herbs and stirring for a few minutes, pours some suspect soup into a wooden bowl and one of his odd soup spoons (think more like those chinese soup spoons, rather than a normal spoon) and hands it to Anzelm before pouring some for himself. Anzelm tries a little sip for politeness. Not entirely sure of if he was supposed to expect something different, it tastes almost exactly like it smells: alarmingly hot (in both temperature and spiciness), rather acrid and a little sour. Anzelm almost gags a little as he tries not to think about the chewy bits floating in the soup.

Sipping the soup quietly for a little, smiling. He says after a few moments "Mmm, tasty. In regards to your request, I would need to ask mother. She gets lonely, and often has various aches and pains." Pouring another bowl of soup, he stands up and adds "But, I believe it should be acceptable if you need my help. I will go ask her if she shall be alright for a while. Please, enjoy the soup though."

The Witch child makes his way out of the room, and Anzelm vaguely wonders if the various Samsaran soup recipes could be weaponized... or at the very least, used for interrogations.
Not wanting to appear rude, Anzelm gulps, then proceeds to eat the remaining soup in the bowl.

================================================================================
Xessus returns to find a crying Anzelm holding his gut, and says "The soup must have been quite good, to have made you cry. But yes, mother said that it would be alright to travel with you for a little while. She's quite satisfied with my soup. I will gather my gear and Wormwood, and we shall meet you momentarily at the gates. Agreed?"

As you head off, Xessus says "Would you care for seconds on the soup? I think I outdid myself on it, and I've been trying for multiple lifetimes. I also have some blessings I wouldn't mind placing upon you, if you have a few seconds to spare in this life."  

[NaturesProfit]

((Fortitude Save, +4.))  

[NaturesProfit]

Ah geez!

Anzelm quickly conjures up an excuse to avoid anymore of the soup.

"I.. I think I'm good on the soup. Wouldn't wanna overindulge and get too used to the taste. Maybe next time, when my taste buds settle down."

As he's about to leave, he hears about the man's blessings, peaking his interest. While Xessus creeps him out, he doesn't think anything too bad can come out of something that involves the word "blessing" in it.

"Uh... sure bud, I got a few seconds. What do you have in mind?"  

[Cowpies77]

"I will bring some in a spare waterskin for you, then. We can have it for lunch later." Xessus says, bowing gently. Straightening himself, he says "It's an old blessing my mother and her lineage had passed down. When a visitor is to embark on a journey, we traditionally cast it to afford them a small amount of protection of our ancestors." Tracing a small six-pointed star on Anzelm's head, Anzelm feels a severe case of the willies. Whatever the trick was though, it does have the effect of making the Magus feel more secure though. "The blessing can only be used on others. It's used for friends, relatives... loved ones. Never on one's self, though. Now, go forth and may your former lives protect you."

With another small bow, Xessus begins to collect various things around his house to pack into his backpack. Anzelm's skin crawls a bit as Xessus reaches for more soup, and proceeds to flee for the gate where the human Mortimer and half-orc Bansky are standing at duty. The difference between them is stark, as Mort is dressed in what looks like a sweater under his armor, which itself is under a thick coat, and wrapped in a blanket around a fire where Jolla is currently watching another tea kettle.
Bansky meanwhile seems more preoccupied with trying to blow out big fog clouds from his helmet. Anzelm half wonders why the Half-orc wears a helmet if he doesn't bother wearing anything else other armor, as his Chainmail top lies in the snow next to him as he stands at attention, showing off his admittedly impressive abs and tattoos on his body. He notices Anzelm, grunts, and turns back to (you guess) attempting to intimidate nature.

Mort just says "Man's a bloody idiot. Gonna die and orc-sicle like that." Giving Anzelm a nod, he says "Howdy there, traveler. I really hope you've come to tell me that you're offering to take my shift here. I don't like the cold."

Bansky coughs out something that sounds like "wuss", but it's honestly hard to tell.  

[NaturesProfit]

Anzelm nods back to acknowledge Bansky. He then turns to Mort.

"Eeeh.... sorry Mort. I actually gots a small proposition for big guy here."

He then turns to the topless half-orc.

"Hey hey, Bansky. Big guy. Me, Freid, and Xessus here are going to head out to find out what's goin' on with the food delivery that's supposed to be coming here. We just need one more and we're good. Wanna be that 4th? If anyone gets in our way and wants to purposely hurt any of us, you and me will double up on them, and beat the crap outta them. So, whaddya say?"  

[Cowpies77]

Mortimer groans a bit, but says "Fine. I still get tea though." To which Jolla pours out some out of the kettle.

Bansky thinks about it for a few minutes, then shrugs and says "Sure. Sound like fun."

Xessus arrives in short order, again more by appearing behind Anzelm and whispering "Alright, ready."

(As Chrono has nothing he wants to buy...)

The party continues on after a last warm cuppa tea from Jolla, and follow the road down. Almost the whole time, Bansky is grunting out an off-key version of a hoedown (like from "Whose Line Is It Anyway?") except that he only seems to remember about half the words, and he seems to be in the habit of making up words when he can't think of a proper rhyme.
It goes slightly more downhill when he tries to get Xessus to join in, and Xessus responded not with words, but giving Bansky a stink eye bad enough that it actually makes Bansky's singing worse,

The trip doesn't take too long however. About 4 or 5 miles away, Xessus just stops.
"What's wrong, Silvari?" Jolla asks, confused on why the creeper suddenly refused to budge.
Xessus just stares up a little bit, as if searching for something in the sky. A minute later (as Bansky is thinking out loud about punching the creeper out), Xessus says "Blood. Something's wrong."

A few tens of yards more of cautious traveling, and the rest of the party discovers what it was that was unsettling the Samsaran. There are half a dozen people lying in the snow next to a large heavy wagon. Three people, 2 of which are rather large and burly, are at the wagon. One of the larger men is trying to get the startled horses under control, while the other is just keeping his eyes on the road. The shorter of the three men is trying to help the horse man verbally, as he appears to not want to get near a bunch of upset horses.  

[NaturesProfit]

"Yo, what the crap is going on over there??"

Anzelm tries to get a better look at the situation before deciding what to do. Tries his best to listen and see what those men are doing.

((Perception +1.))