Jigg's Ponies

Due to other events that took over, this adventure was somewhat curtailed and ended rather suddenly and differently to how it had been anticipated. But never mind!

For some time, Jigg had had this notion that he would like to breed his ponies and learn more about the art and science of pony breeding.

He already knew of Stonehoof Stables in Zeo, and visited the establishment on the way to neutralise the bandit incursion which was plaguing the villages of southern Darfuria (refer to Chapter 9, here: https://darfuria.com/index.php/Shmadimaa%27s_Bandits#Chapter_9_(02.11.2023)_-_Attacking_the_Camp ).

03.06.1259: Now that he had completed the destruction of the bandit camp with a number of friends, and completed some of the training he needed to do to consolidate the experience he had gained, he felt it was time to begin.

Jigg knew it might be a dangerous journey travelling by road all the way to Zeo. He decided he might try to find a companion, Quikatanique, from Shmadimaa's Bandits, to travel with him. Jigg remembered that Quikatanique was interested in setting up an armory in O'Pruudth and might be willing to lend a hand.

All the same, travelling to O'Pruudth alone with four ponies could be a risky business, so he set about trying to find someone in Aegoi to accompany him. The company he found was Penoza, a halfling warrior, and deadly accurate with throwing knives. Jigg promised to pay Penoza for his services and the halfling agreed to come along. Penoza had very little experience of ponies, so Jigg rode one and led another, and Penoza rode another, rather shakily at first, but grew in confidence, and he also led the other unridden pony. Once Penoza felt he was ready, they set off to O'Pruudth.

As they stopped to rest and water their ponies from a pond, a leopard saw an opportunity for an easy meal. It jumped down from a rock where it had been hiding and startled the ponies. Jigg walloped it with his hammer and Penoza wounded it further with throwing knives. The leopard thought the better of its attack and ran off quickly to recover its wounds.

They had not travelled very much further when they were attacked by a pack of yapping jackals. Jigg crushed the skull of one with his hammer and Penoza one-shotted another with a thrown knife and the rest ran off. Jigg was pleased with how Penoza was shaping up, and paid him some extra gold.

The two of them remained unmolested for the rest of the journey and were pleased to arrive, safe and sound, with four uninjured ponies, in O'Pruudth. The guards at the edge of the town, wearing the olive green tabards of Sarath, were a bit dubious about letting the two travellers in, but eventually they were allowed to pass.

A number of the orcs and half orcs stared at the dwarf and the halfling in the streets of O'Pruudth as they made they way to Quikatanique's house, but nothing worse than that happened to them. Quikatanique would indeed be happy to accompany them on their journey and the next day the three of them set off towards Taummoar.

04.06.1259: They were not long out of O'Pruudth when a renegade bandit of orcs attacked, hoping to steal from the party. Quikatanique's Spiritual Hammer and the blows and knives from Jigg and Penoza soon caused them to think again. Jigg finished off two of the orcs and Quikatanique the other two that Penoza had already softened up and then they continued on to Taummoar, unmolested. They find an inn to stay at for the night with stabling for the ponies.

05.06.1259: The next day would be a somewhat longer trek from Taummoar to Friüg. They hoped to be able to pay Ona a visit when they arrived. Setting off early, as is Jigg's inclination, they made good progress until they were halted by a group of bloodthirsty ogres, hungry for pony meat. That would never do! As the ogres tried in vain to catch themselves some ponies, so they were both cut down - one by Jigg and Quikatanique, the other by Penoza and Quikatanique.

The three adventurers and were all too pleased to finally arrive safely in Friüg with the four ponies, without further mishaps. They found their way to Ona's house and Ona introduced them to the hobgoblin youth, Tersus. The ponies were secure and the five companions were settled down for the evening, when there came a knock at the door. Who could this be?

Ona got up to see who was there. It was Malthos! She was accompanied by a stranger, who Malthos introduced as Nortast Zelep. Ona invited them in and a whole new possibility of adventuring opened up, as Malthos and Nortast told them their tale...

(At this point, this adventure joins up with the Epilogue of Slave Pits of the Undercity, here: https://darfuria.com/index.php/Slave_Pits_of_the_Undercity#Epilogue_(23.03.2025) )