Upgrades
After our four heroes received their first official assignment from the Shadows last time, they explored their headquarters and equipped themselves with some new items. After Theo’s shopping trip to the alchemists Kino and Kira, the two suddenly called him back. When he asked what was going on, they didn’t answer last time – but today they did:
“Well, we’ve developed a new weapon and would like to have someone test it. However, that person would have to be very active in the field and be able to think creatively,” Kino replied to Theo’s question. Intrigued, the halfling turned around and pricked up his ears. Kira pulled another box out of a cupboard, which was full of balloons and glass balls. “This is our flying inferno,” she explains proudly. “It consists of two balloons, each of which can carry a large glass ball. One glass ball is filled with flammable oil, the second with white phosphorus and water. The balloons also have an additional timer attached to them. This allows them to be flown over a target and dropped at will. The white phosphorus ignites spontaneously in the air and, with the help of the oil, causes a wildfire,“ she explains how her toy works. Theo looks at the two of them with his mouth open, visibly fascinated. ”Yes, of course, we’d love to test the weapon!” he immediately agrees. “Very good,” say the twins happily and begin to repack the bombs into two portable leather bags. Armed with his magic potions and the two bags, Theo finally says goodbye to Kino and Kira.
“You’ve done some serious shopping,” Dandelion greets his little friend when Theo reaches the forge. “No way, this is a new assignment,” Theo replies promisingly and explains to the others what Kino and Kira have given them for the mission. “Firebombs? Awesome!” Kel rejoices and is allowed to pack the two bags into his inventory right away.
To finally feel like part of the Shadows, they naturally have to check out the in-house bar. They stroll through a few small rock passages and past a few doors until they finally reach a slightly larger cave. On the other side, a somewhat shabby wooden bar awaits them. Wobbly bar stools, dusty bottles, and a worn-out counter don’t look particularly inviting. The young bartender seems friendly at first glance, but the fact that he is trying to clean a dirty glass with a rag that is probably even dirtier makes the four of them doubt his qualifications. However, their desire for beer is so strong that they sit down anyway.
“You must be the newcomers,” the bartender greets them warmly. Despite his questionable hygiene standards when it comes to glasses, he himself looks very well-groomed. Short black hair, a neatly trimmed moustache, and a white shirt that disappears neatly into gray pants held up by suspenders lend the scene an almost incongruous touch of glamour. “Yes, that’s us,” replies Löwenzahn, introducing himself and his friends. “Then welcome. Can I get you something? By the way, I’m Fred,” adds the bartender. Surprisingly, our friends don’t order cranberry juice, but four of the house beer. Fred fishes four bottles from under the bar and places them in front of the four. Dust sticks to the brown glass, and in general, the bottles look as if they have been through a lot. After exchanging a few skeptical glances, they naturally reach for them anyway and toast their new status. In fact, the beer tastes much better than it looks, and the ultra-low price convinces them to order another round. However, it should come as no surprise to anyone that it won’t be the last.
After our heroes have had their fill, Aldric finally suggests that they slowly make their way back to camp, which is still quite a long way off. “What do you mean, camp?” asks Fred, puzzled. “Surely you can get a few rooms for the night here in the guild. I’ll be right back,” he explains and disappears from the small cave. Less than five minutes later, he returns with a thumbs up. “You all have a small room where you can stay for the night,” Fred explains. “Just go down the hallway on the right, and it’s the first four doors on the left.” “Awesome!” Theo exclaims, ordering another round in the same breath.
After three more rounds, however, it’s really over for our heroes. One after the other, they stagger step by step to their quarters for the night. Find out how the night goes and what the new day brings in the next blog from Arkanthia Pen and Paper.
