A Silly DnD Short

Klesh kicked their feet as they rode on the back of the wooden, splintery, wagon. Their legs were lengthier than they had been only a trifling few months ago, but that was Verdan for you. Klesh started to absently scratch at their scales, which had started to flake and shed a bit in recent days. Bronn, meanwhile, was sitting nearby and fiddling with some miniature mechanical creation of his. Bronn was far more diminutive than his sibling, only standing approximately five feet tall. They didn’t look much alike at all. Frankly, the driver of the cart didn’t even realize they were related until the fourth or fifth day of the journey.
The only reason he had let the two ride on his cart was because they claimed to be adventurers. As the days had passed the driver expeditiously realized the moniker only applied to Klesh and not their brother. Bronn was about as flighty as anyone could be. The cart jostled a bit as they went over some rough terrain.
“Don’t break on me, ya bloody cart… ” The driver breathed out against his scraggly, dark, beard. The two Verdan, despite their large and pointed ears, missed the utterance and continued the ride in relative silence for a few moments.
“Man, it's nice not being in a horrific, gloomy, bloodsucker Infested hellscape anymore!” Klesh piped up aimlessly in their usual bright tone. Bronn nodded but stayed intent on his craft. The driver wordlessly reevaluated his prior assessment of Bronn. Bronn was flighty as can be any time except for when he was working on those persnickety creations of his. Bronn belatedly looked up after tightening a bolt.
“Yeah, that place was certainly sinister.” He added to Klesh’s statement with his normal nervous energy and a haunted sort of look in his eye.
“I hope Nox and the others got out alright. Who could have predicted Timmy Bug would turn to the darkside that swiftly? Sure, he was a wee bit eccentric, but that was ‘bug kid’ weird, not masacre weird.” Bronn nodded along with an uneasy look and swiftly changed the subject.
“I bet they’re fine. Anyways, it looks like we’re near the town!”
As they neared the town the guards at the imposing gate stood at attention. The driver knew they had likely been standing in the heat of the day for several hours at this point based on the way they stood. He slowly rolled his cart to a stop and met the closest guard's eyes.
“Hello, friend” he greeted the guard. The guard grunted in response and walked over to inspect the cart. The guard’s eyes swiftly landed on the form of Klesh and the driver noticed him stubble over his own feet ever so slightly at the sight of the eight foot tall Verdan.
“Howdy!” Klesh smiled and gave a wave. The guard gave a half wave and then looked past Klesh to Bronn. Bronn met his gaze uneasily. Bronn seemed far more aware of how people looked at the Verdan than Klesh who seemed to view the world with something like pure trust.
“What’s your business in the city?” The guard asked while eyeing Bronn’s invention.
“Just spending the night,” Bronn responded.
“They ain’t criminals if that’s what you’re thinking. They came from Barovia, it's a mess there since you know who adopted that kid. I happened to pick them up.” The guard nodded as the driver explained.
“Yep, and to think Timmy used to be such a good kid.” Klesh lamented. The driver resisted the urge to scold him for bringing up any connection to the kid.
“Timmy? Wait, are you two part of that adventuring party-”
“Nope!” Bronn piped up quickly. “Timmy is our… cousin! Very dead cousin!” Klesh looked like he might say something but Bronn roughly whacked them with his crutch.
“Right.” The guard said slowly. “You’re free to go.” The driver nodded and rode his cart through the gate at an even pace.
Now through the gates the two Verdan hopped off the cart.
“Thanks again for letting us ride with you, Mr… uh…” The driver sighed as Klesh trailed off. He swore they had the memory of a goldfish.
“Dover. Richer Dover.”
“Richer..? Like Rich?” Klesh asked as if suspicious.
“Klesh,” Bronn sighed. “You’ve had this conversation before.”
“I did?” Klesh’s ears lowered a bit. “I don’t remember.”
It was quiet for a moment and Richer could see Bronn’s wheels turning internally. Richer knew exactly why. Klesh often forgot things. Over the course of the short journey he had seen Klesh forget many things, including their own height when they had walked directly into a tree branch.
“It's okay, that just means you should write it down.” Bronn finally said.
“Oh, yeah, I think Nox taught me how to do that. My name at least.” Klesh smiles. “And math. Numbers. I’m good at those.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you are. Now, come on.” Bronn gently guided Klesh away.
Richer sighed once again.
“Those two are a couple of odd ducks…” he muttered to himself before riding away to the traders guild. He hoped they would be alright.