Grab Some Lunch

Could you take them in a fight? Maybe. They have just come off an apparently difficult round with Brogung, who spawns at the same level as you. The Paladin, despite holding a one-handed sword, had no shield. Given their poor condition, she might have run out of healing magic. You have the element of surprise…

…Well, not really. They are already on-edge, waiting for an attack. You're behind them, but the space of the clearing would give them time to turn around. You wouldn’t be able to cross it and catch them unawares.

A trap, maybe? No, you’re hidden now, but one of them is a ranger, and a wood elf at that. You might be a higher level, but you aren’t a stealth specialist. Even at level two, Ievos can probably detect you before you made your move.

Also, while Ladrieth is a Sorcerer, the other two used weapons. Almost certainly iron, given their level. That meas they could kill you quicker than they did Brogung. And you aren’t built exclusively for fighting like he is, and you don't have any backup.

That still leaves your silver tongue. If you can figure out something they want, you can offer it in exchange for the Crystal. Better still to be sly about it, and make them think giving you the Crystal is their own idea. And if things devolve to fighting anyways, your odds of winning would be no less than if you’d attack outright.

Good. Now you just need to settle on your approach, they’re getting up now. Think fast–

Your eyes settle on a bush on the right side of the clearing. A blackberry bush, and it’s absolutely covered in fruit. And you haven’t eaten at all since the update, despite it having been hours.

Perfect.

You stand, and knock on a tree right next to you. The three of them turn, weapons at the ready, and you give them your best disarming smile. You notice their eyes—Ievos has hazel, Wylahael has blue, and Ladrieth has bright red.

Definitely fire.

“Peace, adventurers,” you say, “I’m not looking to fight you.” You can practically feel your Appearance and Charisma at work.

Wylahael, the Paladin, is the one to speak. “What are you after, then?” She doesn’t lower her sword.

“At present?” You point to the blackberry bush. “Lunch.”

And it was the truth. After all, you aren’t one to trick adventurers on an empty stomach.

As you walk over to the bush, you can feel their eyes on you. You can feel their Perception trying to pry away your secrets, and you let them have the basics. Sidhe. Squire. Fey. Noble. Level five.

Level five. Just like the nasty fight they just came from—as far as they know.

“Sorry,” you can hear Ievos say, but clearly not to you, “I should have seen him coming.”

“Oh,” you call over your shoulder, “I wouldn’t beat yourself up over it. You were staring pretty intently in the opposite direction.” You reach down to pick some berries.

“You were watching us,” says Ladrieth. Definitely not a question.

“Oh yes,” you say, turning, “I find someone in a clearing, and I hang back for a moment to take a look before going to pick some berries.” You pop one into your mouth. Once you’ve swallowed, you add, “How nefarious of me.”

Ladrieth looks a bit bashful at that. But you speak again before any of them can. “I won’t blame you for your caution, but that was a bit silly.”

They exchange looks with one another, but you don’t know them well enough to make out what they might mean. But you do know they aren’t giving you anything.

You decide a little aggression is warranted. “I know this forest pretty well. And I know what’s that way,” you point in the direction of concern. “Trouble with the goblins? Maybe I could help.”

Ladrieth shoots you a smirk. “We can handle goblins fine. We took out their leader.”

Wylahael elbows her. You let out a low whistle.

“Brogung’s down, is he?”

Ievos is still staring at you, arrow nocked. “He a friend of yours?”

You shrug. “We’re aggressively ambivalent. Emphasis on the aggressive, with him. Can’t say I mind that someone taught him a lesson.” That would be a lie, after all, and you can’t lie. You toss another blackberry into your mouth.

That set them at ease a bit. You approved of what they’d just done, and that made you seem like less of a threat.

On the outside, you’re the picture of perfect calm, but inside your mind is racing. You need to draw more out of them. You need to know what they want, what they need. You need something more to work with.

In an instant, the peace in the clearing is broken by the fluttering of wings.