A Letter of Validation

Mendez dresses and packs quickly but quietly. Leaving the two girls wages and an equal amount again on the bed side dresser, he slips out the door.
At the reception, he orders some breakfeast to be sent to the room with his compliments. He then strides outside and while waiting for his horse, re-reads the letter.

Dear Son Mendez,
Although I disaproved of you leaving for a life of adventure, I have need of your skills now.
A large band of bandits have been raiding the neighbouring farms recently and yesterday we were targeted. Your Uncle Mendoza and some of the farm hands attempted to stop them, but there were too many. Several of our men were killed and your Uncle was lucky to escape with his life.
Please come home as quickly as you can. I have sent Sinbad of the Hampster men in his skyboat to meet you in Seawells main harbour.
Your loving Father,
Esteban.

Mendez stuffs the letter into his shirt as a stable boys leads up his horse. Tossing the boy a gold coin and whistling for his falcon, Mendez spurs on his horse and gallops toward the harbour.

What’s this Adventurer doing in my Wood?

Using his meagre survival skills, Thesis makes do with wild berries and what are hopefully mushrooms. Moving deeper into the forest, Thesis is surprised a few days later by four Elves dressed in camouflage greens. They appear out of the foliage with their long swords drawn, but signal that the hulking Thesis should not draw his.
Without the back-up of his friends, Thesis capitulates. He could probably take out these four without much effort, but what if he’s being over confident?
“What are you doing near the hidden Elven village?”
“What hidden Elven village?”
“What?”
“What?”
“Is there a hidden Elven village around here?”
“What have you heard? Who's been talking?”
Realising that he’s going to get nothing from these overtly defensive Elves, Thesis begs for some food and continues on.

Bear Faced Cheek

The trees become more and more intrusive until finally Thesis can no longer gallop atop his horse. It’s actually a relief to dismount and lead his horse along the forest tracks.
On the first night within the forest though, he is awakened by his whinnying horse. Grabbing his mighty sword, Thesis roars as he springs to his feet.
He’s too late. All he can see is a massive, shaggy shape disappear into the undergrowth. An unbelievably impudent bear has made off with the majority of his food supplies.
Thesis shakes his head. What fool taught a wild bear that food was easily found near humans?

One is the Loneliest Number

Riding at a fast trot, Thesis swiftly passes farm after farm. After a few days though, they begin to thin out until he finds himself riding through open land.
There are paths to follow and although confident he is on the right track, he would prefer to be with his friends… Especially during the night.

The:sis/ology

Thesis staggers down the stairs from his room in the Inn. His head's pounding from too much ale the night before. What he needs to alleviate it, is a large plate, piled high with various deep fried meats.
Looking around Thesis is puzzled to see none of his friends, but a few mumbled questions solves the query.
They’ve all left!
Several hours ago!
Without him!
Reassuring himself that it must be an oversight, Thesis stumbles back upstairs to pack his belongings.
After an hour or so, he’s ready to leave. First though he quickly visits the nearest church of Kord. It’s not much of a church, more of a Gym really. Still there's a cleric of greater theological experience than himself.
Thesis is greeted by Nold-Ar, a large muscular man in his late 40’s. “Welcome Thesis. How's the world with you today?”
Thesis explains his situation and his disbelief regarding his friends leaving without him.
“Frankly my boy, I cannot fathom how you put up with the Elf, Eolar and all his holier than thou ways. Doesn’t he make your blood boil?”
Thesis can’t help but agree. Still Eolar is a friend.
“Listen, I happen to know that he's taken a band of St Cuthbertian acolytes up towards the Forbidden lands in the hope of taking over some church of Chaos. I think some of your other friends went along with him. Follow them and if you want. Catch up to them if you can. Remember this though… Do you really want to help Eolar destroy and then take over a church of Chaos? Hell, it might even be one of ours!”

Law and (K)order

At the end of the meeting, Cabel En guestures Eolar forward. “All of your friends… other than Thesis. From what I’ve been informed, he’s a follower of Kord. Why are you travelling with such a man?”
Eolar shrugs an apology but can’t really dispute his leaders question.
“Tolerating some erratic behaviour is one thing, but accepting a cleric of one of the Gods of Chaos is quite another. Even if it is one of the minor ones.”
Again, Eolar can’t argue. Thesis’ allegiance to Kord has rankled ever since he anounced it.
After leaving Cabel En’s chambers and meeting his eager if unprepared acolytes, Eolar recruits all of his old friends except Thesis, the errant Bodush and Mendez. He would have asked Mendez too, but he had left suddenly the day before without a word to anyone.

A Letter (from) Home

A timid knock on the door rouses Mendez from his slumber. Slipping from the King sized bed and flinging open the door, he stands unembarrased by his nakedness or the two women fast asleep on the bed behind him.
The boy messenger passes over a sealed envelope which Mendez tears open immediately.
After a few seconds, Mendez orders the boy to fetch his horse and slams the door.