The start of something great at Tilverton
- ajay Menendez
- Aug 20, 2023
- 3 min read
The Tilverton Gym has always been a big draw, not just because all the caravan guards or city Watch for the Tollney Clan of Dwarves, but traveling adventurers and those aspiring to become adventurers toil and sweat to achieve their gains in either Strength, Agility or raising their Constitution and Endurance. The proprietor whom for most of his young life was a hermit, became a devout priest of Chauntea the goddess of life, nourishment and forgiveness.
Having a gym owner who can mend broken bones, lacerations and punctures has elevated the gym to legendary status, where patrons can really go all out, and ride the edge between doing what they never thought possible and foolhardy bravado.

This young group of adventurers fostered their friendship between lifting weights, hurling axes, and developing their bodies to the fullest.
One evening, after training hard at the gym they all blew off steam with some light ale and drink at the local watering hole, where Cassian has been developing his skills as a entertainer, regaling the crowd with song, and music.

On these eve, a dwarven mother bursts into the tavern, and heads directly to Torga, who somewhat sheepishly carries a reputation for already being a hero saving many children, and animals from a fire, which the ignition still seems suspicious.
"Please help me! My wee lad has wandered off and its almost dark. He's never done this before! I've asked the guard and they won't help till tommorah. Won't ye' please help?"
After a quick look around at the bar, Torga agrees to look for the boy, and is joined by the rest of the Tilverton Barbell crew. Upon reaching the area where the young dwarvish lad had been playing, the party worked together to find the tracks and determined they where authentic with one of the boy's items left carelessly upon the path.
Under the darkening gloom of twilight the adventurers follow the tracks up to a small hill fort east of the town of Tilverton. While Rolan the wood elf, conducted a perimeter search stealthily, the rest of the group discussed how to approach the keep.

The keep standing quiet in the near to be darkness had a huge gash upon the side of the walls. This is where Cassian's young wolf Bella, being rode atop by Caro, the halfling monk, bound inside the fortifications through that gap hewn long ago by either a giant's axe, or some siege engine.
Not long after landing within the confines of the walls, thousands of bats, whirled up, blowing Caro's hair up with the thousands of wing beats and wooshes of bats that flew up into the sky.
Hungry and finding some possible food upon their home, they fell upon the group, and started scratching and biting necks, hungry for the sweet scarlet blood that would feed them.

After many swings and thwacks from maces, axes and swords, Cassian catches one of the fleeing creatures and bites its head off with wild abandon.
While this act of pure metal, is being conducted, and most of the party is gazing on in horror, amusement and confusion, Caro, with gentle halfling feet, dismounts and spies a pair of dwarvish legs sticking out from some detritus.
With their attention on the boy's.... corpse? They had no time to react as a tentacle slide down the side of her face from SOME HORRIFIC insect like creature, that was silently laying in wait above them.

Caro's body, suddenly reacting to the effect of the tentacle's strike on the side of their face, a small burn appearing, grimaces and using the training undergone at Tilverton Barbell by their master, begins to fight the on coming paralysis. Deep within her, quails at how their arms start to slow down and grow numb to the touch, but they dig deeper and resists the effect luckily and refuses to give in.
Seeing their friend in danger, arrows fly clattering off its carapace, and until a quick chant from the Cleric of Chauntea, things seem dire. The small gnome, standing right behind Cassian, waves his hand and slowly points at the beast, his pointed hand begins to glow with energy and a bolt guided by his faith shoots out between Cassian's legs and strikes the insectoid creature with a sickly crunch, the energy continues to illuminate inside the creature inviting future attacks.
Pure green ichor splurts from the creature, dowsing Caro' from head to toe with its lifeblood.
Torga moves forward closer so that she'll be in range, and after uttering a few quick phrases, a long whip of vines and thorns wind around her hand, and she manages to whip it out and strike the creature, the magical effect yanking it right off the wall above Caro and throwing it sundered upon the ground in front of the female dwarven druid.