A QUEST FOR SOMETHING OR OTHER

Chapter Two - Pumpkin Farms

Continuing South through the village, John passes a number of residents which don't interact with him. Probably because Will wanted to get the story moving so we could actually fight some things from his Monster Manual. He stops on the outskirts of Red Dune, marked by a low wooden fence surrounding the town. He raises his hands to his eyes and mimics a pair of binoculars, twisting them into focus. This seems to work as in the distance, down the dirt road which will inevitably lead to Rocksma as there doesn't seem to be any other path which is convenient, he spies a small shack, surrounded by large orange balls. Pumpkins. They're obviously Pumpkins. And to save time, we're going to jump straight to the farm.

***

John approached the warmly coloured shack, amazed at it's aura. The white stone walls, the coloured windows, the thatched roof with a chimney puffing out smoke. This was very different to his own home, at least how it was now. Large pumpkins scattered everywhere, growing freely around his feet.

"Ya right?" came a manly voice from behind the shack.

John takes a couple of steps to his right, where he can now see a large bearded man hanging up his smalls on a makeshift washing line. It's a human, wearing a pair of brown trousers and a loose white shirt, with the odd dirt stain every now and again.

"Ya here for pumpkins or Pumpkin?" He asks.

John slides off his rucksack, reaches in and pulls out the letter he received, holding it up.

"I was told to come here, I have no idea why" He says.

"Well it says to meet me doesn't it?" Says the man, crossing his arms.

"How do you know? We've only just met and there could be someone else living here"

The man roles his eyes. "Because, I'm sat opposite you and heard everything going on" he says.

Fair enough, John thinks to himself. The bearded man uncrosses his arms and walks towards him, climbing over a couple of pumpkins in his way. He brushes himself off and puts out his hand.

"Pumpkin. I'm a Ranger". John puts out his free hand and shakes it.

"Johnagantinousta, but call be John" says John.

"It's actually Johnagantionousta" says Pumpkin, smiling.

"Nobody cares, just take him with you" says a pumpkin beside them, in a voice a lot like Wills.

Pumpkin turns and wonders back inside the house to gather his supplies. A dagger from his craft table and a heavy crossbow from above his fireplace. He bends down to the fire and blows it out. I don't know, maybe he has strong lungs? He stands back up and walks towards his closet, opens it, and pulls out a chained shirt and a pair of handcrafted Elven boots and puts them on, on top of his gardening attire. Back to the door, he turns to a nearby coat rack, and pulls off a rucksack containing an Explorers Pack with various exploring tools we'll likely be needing for our journey ahead. 

Now outside, he pulls his front door to, reaches in his pocket for a set of keys, fumbles about a bit trying each one, before successfully locking the door, which he celebrates with a small fist pump to himself.

"So which way do we go?" Asks Pumpkin, walking away from his house.

"Probably that way" Says John, pointing South-ish. "Seeing as I came from the other way."

Pumpkin nods, slaps John on the back, causing one hit point of damage, and begins heading off down the road. John catches his breath and follows him.

"So, what is this mission adventure thing then?" Pumpkin asks.

John proceeds to explain that he really has no idea and that the mission was given to him by a woman with no name and that he thinks they should have been given a map.

***

Once done exchanging business with a passing map salesman, the duo reach a small woodland, blocking the view of the hills and mountains before them. Pumpkin holds out the map which has been drawn using a grey pencil, the odd green triangle representing a collection of trees, and red dot representing a village.

"I think we must be here" Suggests Pumpkin, pointing at a small set of triangles close to Red Dune marked on the map. "This would make this... Hardwood Forest".

The trees are tall and mixed shades of green, some towering over the others, blocking out all of the sky behind them. A thin path connects their dirt road, and continues deep into the woodland. Hardwood Forest, John thinks to himself, nodding. Pumpkin walks over to a nearby tree and examines it closely, rubbing his beard.

"What trees do you reckon these are?" He says, knocking the trunk with his knuckle. "Because being a Ranger, I should know"

And that he does. Pumpkin recognises this tree before him as a Pine tree, a 362 year old Pine tree, standing tall. He looks to his left, then to his right. More Pine trees, although different species seem to live behind them, but he's apparently not close enough to knock on them to find out more. He takes a couple of steps back and stands beside John, with a confused look on his face.

"What's up?" Asks John, concerned.

"It's just that, this is Hardwood Forest"

"Yeah"

"A forest of Hardwood"

"Yeah I get that"

"But Pine Trees are softwood".

John looks at Pumpkin, then the trees. Pumpkin shakes his head.

"I don't trust it, I'm going home. Sounds dodgy" Says Pumpkin turning around. John grabs his arm before he can walk away and successfully drags the ranger into the forest, along the path. Pumpkin wriggles free from his grasp and walks beside John, keeping a close eye on the trees.

"What kind of Hardwood Forest has softwood trees is all I'm saying" Laughs Pumpkin.

"One where the players are idiots and love wasting time" Snaps one of the trees.

"Like, you could have said Oak or something" Remarks Pumpkin.

The tree pulls back its branch and whips him in the back of the head.

He takes no damage, unlike the tree, which loses the branch.