Tales from the Vale

Aha-ha-ha! Aha-ha-HA! AHA-HA-HAAA! AHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAAAA..... MOOO.

You might have thought I was joking. I was not joking. Behold!

Might need a little tweaking yet, but it's roughly come together I think.

 

Elven Gold

The tall yellowing grass waved in the breeze, occasionally mimicking the waves on the ocean. With the setting sun at his back, Sebastian crouched low and carefully crested the hill. One of the many elk was prancing nearby and momentarily startled him. The contents of the overturned wagon were strewn along the road below him. An open crate of weapons enticed him the most, but seeing the several Elven guards that were alert and on patrol reminded him about the dangers of this venture.

Each guard’s movements were very predictable. After careful observation, Sebastian saw a window of opportunity that would give him just enough time to sneak closer, make a quick dash, grab a weapon or two, and hightail it back to cover. His escape would be aided by his speed, the dark before moonrise, and Alchemist Julia’s stealth potion.

The plan would have worked admirably had he not dropped a shield while his hands were encumbered with a stolen sword. The clatter drew the attention of every elf in the vicinity. He was partially back up the hill before he noticed that the elf guarding the road between him and the river had abandoned his post and was running to the wagon. With all the speed he could muster, Sebastian dodged to the left and ran for the river. Before he could get there, an elf Mage released a fireball that ignited the grass where he had been a moment before.

Sebastian plunged into the deepest part of the river he could find and half swam, half crawled along the rocky river bottom. The weight of the shield slung on his back kept him submerged like some kind of turtle.

Out of breath, Sebastian finally had to scrabble up the far side of the river bank and pray he would avoid detection. The stealth potion must be working, as no bolt of fire or feathered death found him. He gasped for breath as quietly as possible. In the dim light of the rising, shattered moon, Sebastian could see an elf guard ankle deep in the river, motionless, as if in a trance.

Sebastian crept silently closer, alert for any response. He knew elves were not very smart, but this stillness was ridiculous. Did water immobilize them? Sebastian got closer. No response. Gripping his sword, he thrust it through the hapless elf, then again twice more before the elf fell silently into the water. The elf’s last gesture almost tore out Sebastian’s heart--it raised its hand in a strange pleading manner before expiring into the river.
The elf had indeed carried gold, over 100 gp. He had also carried an additional sword. Sebastian was now a warrior, equipped with shield, sword, and enough gold to buy armor. He also had the new-found knowledge of a weakness in elves that he could exploit.

 

To the folks that are continuing to submit work on this thread, I would suggest starting your own thread.
This particular call for submissions was shut down.