Traveler's Rest

The cleric, oblivious to the drama, reached the table and tapped Thom on the arm as he leaned over the ledger. “WHAT!” he shouted as he looked up. He stared at the woman for a moment, then blinked, and blinked again. “I know you, don’t I,” he said to the delicate figure.

She grinned, “Thom! It’s me, Wilomina! Don’t you remember? I used to come in here with my cousin.”

Thom blinked again and, wrenching his mind away from his money for a moment, thought. Suddenly it came back to him. “Oh, oh yes, I remember you. Wilomina. How are you. Long time no see, as they say,” said Thom, still a little blankly.

“I’m actually quite well, thank you,” said Wilomina, sitting down. “I’m passing through town looking for a bit of excitement, actually. The school funds are a bit low, and I need a nice, juicy adventure to perk them up a bit. Anything going on I might join?”

“Hmm,” thought Thom, “there might be. I’ll have a look around for you. My, but traveling seems to have agreed with you. You actually have a bit of color in your cheeks.”

Wilomina blushed, adding a bit more. “Yes, well, the work never stops, you know. I...” she started to say just as a young wizard came barging into the tavern, calling after her.

“Lady Wilomina,” he called out in a youthful (pimply) voice.

Wilomina cringed slightly, but had plastered a smile on her face before she turned around to greet him. “Hello Melvin,” she said with resignation.

“I’ve stabled the horses, madam. And, and I looked over at the message board for some adventures. Look what I found!” He was carrying what looked like every piece of paper that must have been on the board with him.

Wilomina slowly closed her eyes, and as calmly as she could, said, “Thank you, Melvin. However, we mustn’t be greedy. Please pick one or two adventures, and put the rest back.”

“Oh, I will,” he answered, “but I want to pick the perfect adventure first. Just you wait, I’ll find a beauty.” He dropped all the paper on a table and started to very quickly go through them.

“Excuse me, Thom,” Wilomina sighed, “I’d better get this done as quickly as possible, before someone has a fit.”

“Understandable,” Thom replied, happy to get back to the books. He patted her hand as if to say, “Hang in there, kid,” and then stuck his nose right back in the ledger. She pinched her own nose for a second before heading over to the table full of notices.

Wilomina Wainwright
Neutral Good, 10th Level Specialty Priest of Oghma
(or any god of knowledge)
Human Female, 31 years old
Blond hair, Blue eyes 5' 5", 120 lbs.

Hp 50
AC 14
Initiative: 6
Base Attack: 5

Weapons: Dagger, Quarterstaff
Armor: Ring of Protection+2, Ring of Constitution+2

Feats: Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Scribe Scrolls, Toughness

Languages: Common, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Half-Orc

Equipment: Gray Robes, sandals, traveling cloak, dagger, quarterstaff, holy symbol, bedroll, one week dry rations, water skin, backpack, spell components in several pouches, several books, quill pen and ink, papyrus, horse (riding), two rings.

Background (original):
Wilomina is the daughter of a tavern owner. He sent her to live with his brother-in-law, a nobleman, at a young age because he recognized that she had a good mind and wanted her to have the opportunity to develop it. He felt that his brother-in-law was in a better position to help Wilomina fulfill her potential.

Despite her frailty, she is dedicated to bringing the gift of learning and knowledge to as many people as possible of all races, and is determined to go and do whatever is needed to accomplish this goal.

Her traveling companion is Oswald, a bard. He is also her cousin and has been ordered by his father, Wilomina's uncle, to watch over the frail cleric as she endeavors to carry out the will of her deity. Even though he admires Wilomina for her courage and determination, he believes that she risks her health needlessly. However, he is committed to going where she goes, helping her any way he can and making life as easy for her as possible. That doesn't mean he won't try to talk her out of ideas he considers beyond her abilities. He is also trying to impress his father, who considers Oswald's chosen profession frivolous.

In addition, Oswald imagines himself to be quite wise and will have a famous quote or "words of wisdom" for any situation.

Background (The update):
Oswald traveled with Wilomina for about three years after we saw them at the Traveler’s Rest. He finally begged his father to allow him to stop, as Wilomina’s life of establishing schools was just too dull for him. And besides, Wilomina had proven by then that what she lacked in bodily strength, she more than made up for in cunning and inventiveness. In short, she was doing just fine. She had even managed to build up her constitution a bit, and with that and the aid of a ring of constitution, she found that she was strong enough to get her work done. And that’s all she really cares about: not herself, but the work.

She travels quite a bit, bringing books to some of the more remote towns, and adventuring for the money for more schools when a party will have her. Even with her improvements, she is still a bit weak, and that doesn’t always go over well with an adventuring group. Nevertheless, through these adventures she has gained the friendship of one overeager young wizard named Melvin, who at the moment is following her like a puppy, trying to do what he can for her. He’s a bit pesky, bless him, but his intentions are good, and so she endures his buzzing around her, even if he does occasionally make a mess of things. He may even prove to be useful eventually, as soon as he has learned more than a few spells. (Thom’s note: more about Melvin in the next issue. Why? Because the witch was too drunk to finish, and I’ll be damned if I’m doing any more! She’s lucky I got this far!)

(c) 2003 by Erica Woollums