The Wizard- Heroes Return (For A Second Time)

The last time we saw our amazing adventurers, the Hero, Scribe, and Distiller followed the marauders that razed the town of Dey back to their cavernous hideout. The trio cleverly acquired a wagon and a couple of marauder uniforms, and then the quick-witted Hero used the wagon and it’s explosive payload to destroy the marauder’s hideout while also providing a distraction for their rescue of the Inventor. The trio are confronted by the fearsome Marauder King wielding a powerful gun designed by the Inventor. The Marauder King was disarmed through the courageous acts of the Scribe and the Hero, leading to an epic sword fight and the Maruader King’s demise.

Meanwhile, the Gunslinger, Marksman, Barkeep, and Captain Crimson stole an armored bank wagon and interrupted the public execution of Dr. Wolf. The company made a daring escape, freeing the condemned Dr. Wolf and giving the Marksman a chance to ease his rattled conscience. All of our adventurers now return to Franklin, seeking rest and recovery while the Scribe and Inventor continue to translate the ancient book stolen from the library. The Inventor, grateful for his rescue and happy to help the company accomplish their goals, ruminates on ideas to best benefit each of the heroes.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The Wizard is stirring in the Barkeep’s tavern, setting the massive dinner table with a combination of magic and good old-fashioned hard work. His magic has conjured a giant roasted turkey, a massive baked ham, and a gargantuan side of beef. There were also innumerable sides on the table with everything from mashed potatoes, gravy, grilled corn-on-the-cob, roasted root vegetables, boiled green beans, sauteed carrots, boiled peas, gelatinous fruit salads, casseroles, savory pies, rye bread, sourdough bread, fruit-n-nut cornmeal bread, creamy chicken casseroles, sweet and savory pineapple casseroles, several cornucopia overflowing with fruit and nuts. 

That was just the dinner table, the dessert table was covered in several multilayer cakes: a lemon cake with white chocolate icing, a chocolate cake with caramel, coconut, and pecan icing, a white cake with cream cheese icing and raspberry filling, a yellow cake with cinnamon swirl and sugary glaze, a chilled orange cake with cream cheese icing and orange zest on top, and so many more. That was just the cakes. There were pecan pies, cherry pies, apple pies, chocolate pies, coconut pies, key lime pies, pistachio pie, and more. There were tarts, puddings, pastries. Almost any kind of dessert anyone from anywhere could think of was there. 

There was also a pair of ginormous kegs, standing 11-foot tall and just as wide. The first keg was a magic keg the Wizard had conjured. Whatever the guest who used the keg wanted, the keg would provide. One of the best things is that no matter how much a party drank, the keg would never run out.

The other keg was a special ordered keg of the Distiller’s finest bourbon, because of course, no matter how magical the bourbon, nothing could compete with the Distiller’s brew.

It was a feast. One of the grandest feasts that any king, queen, baron, emperor, or anyone else had ever laid eyes upon. The Wizard figured that they had accomplished much gathering together the company that would send them on such a perilous journey and deserved a fine meal. That’s how the Wizard is, always going above and beyond. While the heroes were still, at least, several days out, the food was magic, so the Wizard didn’t have to worry about any of it getting cold or going bad. The food would stay as fresh as it was straight out of the oven.

The Hero, Scribe, Distiller, and Inventor arrive first, worn out from four days of riding, stopping only briefly to rest. The first thing they could think about was a long bath, followed by a small beef pie and water, then two days of sleep.

The Captain, Gunslinger, Barkeep, Marksman, and Dr. Wolf made port a week after the other heroes’ return. They too, were also were interested in a bath, but the journey home was a calm one and those who travelled with the Captain were anxious to be out and about. 

So that night, the Wizard gathers all the heroes into the tavern’s hall and unveils the tables of food. The Marksman, a man on the run and a gun for hire, had never been a part of a feast like this and stands stunned at the sheer amount of food. Captain Crimson, who had been privy to many grand pirate feasts after many profitable exploits, has never seen such a spread either.

“Well I’ll be, never in my many years of pirating have I saw such a feast, and I have stolen from the dinner table of kings,” cries the Captain.

The fellowship dives into the plethora of food laid before them. The company revels in the stories of their recent exploits.

“The Hero rotated his sword and drove it into the chest of the bandit, then twirled and severed his head from his shoulders like a butcher separating a leg from a lamb,” crowes the Scribe.

The crowd that gathered cheer their approval.

Later Captain Crimson regails the crew with the story of their daring escape. 

“The horses were tearing through the streets when the Barkeep whipped the wagon into the gallows. The Marksman sent a well placed arrow into the rope and that’s when we grabbed the Doctor here,” says the Captain while wrapping his arm around Dr. Wolf.

The Wizard pulls the Inventor aside, “I want you to understand that as much as we need your mechanical talent, you owe us no tribute. We aren’t like the bandits that we rescued you from. If you would just assist us in translating the old dwarven text, you can be on your way whenever you please.”

“No, I am indebted to those who rescued me, as well as you for sending them my way. I appreciate it or I would have rotted in that cavern, tormented by the thought of what my creations were doing. You have given me new life and new purpose, I would be honored to help you achieve your goals,” replies the Inventor.

“Well I do appreciate that, and I have some ideas. Between the two of us, we’ll have them ready to face whatever they may face,” says the Wizard.

“Oh I plan to, and I plan to go myself,” laughs the Inventor.