A large boat floated lazily along the calm waters of the Faydwer shore of the Ocean of Tears. Transporting passengers from across the ocean, the ship had nearly reached the end of its voyage. It turned into the wind as it neared the shore, with the land to the right as it neared the dock
Unseen from those on the ship, a dark figure lay hidden in the shallows. It remained completely still as the ship passed by. When it had gone out of sight, the figure slowly rose from the water and strode fluidly to the shore. A dark coat hid the features of the stranger, but nothing could hide the way it towered, even hunched over as it was.
When the strange figure of a man reached the land, his legs began to wobble as if unused to being out of the water. His coat pressed wetly against him, causing him to struggle all the more. Water poured in drenches from off his coat, the presence of which phased him less than the air he now stood in.
He reached under his waterlogged coat and pulled from beneath it a crude metal looking dagger that bore a small symbol of waves on its hilt. He walked to one of the larger trees facing the dock and plunged the dagger into the bark.
"It is high time we taught you Humans the fine art of courtesy dwarven style!" bellowed Anglar the dwarf as he strode confidently through his native land. He had not been back in Butcherblock in several years, but the trees and mountains where just as he remembered from when he was young. He had been across the ocean mingling with Humans and Erudites for the past three years, having grand adventures notable for a dwarf of his skill with a axe. It was during these adventures that he had picked up his two traveling companions, Pyvar the Human ranger, and Syslavia the Erudite magician. Now that they were back in his country he would see them receive a proper welcome.
Pyvar and Syslavia glanced warily down each side of the mountain path as they continued. They had heard reports of increased goblin activity around these parts, but Anglar wasn't going to let that spoil the mood. Let them try to ambush, they would feel the edge of his axe and be welcomed to it. The dwarf couldn't help running a hand over the pommel of his axe thoughtfully.
A yell from the path in front of them brought all three heads whipping around. A very young dwarf desperately holding on to a broken half of spear scampered up the path and nearly ran into Syslavia. The youngling glanced from face to face frantically, the broken haft holding him up as he breathed deeply.
Syslavia laid a hand on his shoulder while smiling down on the panting dwarf. "What is the matter young one?"
The dwarf stared up into her eyes for a second before gesturing weakly down the path he had just come down. Before he could say something, however, Anglar could hear several footsteps running up the path towards them. Pyvar tested the air for a second, then turned to the rest "goblins coming."
Anglar pulled the axe from its belted loop while Pyvar eased his sword out. While the boy hid behind Syslavia, he and Pyvar took up position to either side of the path just as the first goblins ran into them. The first two were brought down by the axe and sword, but as Anglar removed his weapon from a still quivering goblin chest, several more ran past him toward the child. Pyvar already had his sword free and was gesturing toward the two racing past them. Just as they were about to leap up to Syslavia, the ground erupted below their feet, entwining them in the roots from a nearby tree.
Anglar swiped his axe at the next one coming up the path, but he could see that with so many swarming they could not melee them all. From the corner of his eye, he saw Pyvar pull his sword from one and drive it into another, but for each they killed, another was getting through until several stood between them and Syslavia..
Anglar turned from those coming, and swung his axe into the back of one surrounding the Erudite. Still not enough. A goblin knife slashed past his ear from behind, drawing blood and nearly taking the ear with it. The dwarven warrior cursed as he swung back around to concentrate on those before him. Before he could strike out the goblins surrounding the mage ignited, their charred bodies falling to the ground around her. The remaining goblins watched their comrades fall, then turned and fled up the path wailing in despair.
Finding a non charred body, Anglar wiped his axe head on a piece of clean cloth and stuck it back into his belt loop. Over the burning goblins, he could hear the child still sobbing behind Syslavia. The older dwarf watched the younger grimly. He stepped forward to chastise the boy, no dwarf should cry like that, when Syslavia straightened suddenly. Her gaze had been fixed on the boy, but now she stood and stared beyond the area above his head.
She spoke in a narrow, quivering voice, "Something is disrupting the magic here." Gripping her staff tightly, she ran off in the direction she had been staring.
Anglar didn't need to see Pvyar's reaction before running after her, he knew the ranger would follow. The three raced down the path with the child struggling to keep up. Syslavia left the path and began running down a slope towards the ocean with the rest directly behind. At the bottom of the slope, they could see the great Ocean of Tears stretching forth before them. In front of the shore, before a giant tree with a dagger jammed into its trunk stood a tall figure in a dark cloak. Water drenched the cloak and was dripping from it in streams. The face was hidden behind a shadow of the hood, but something was…off about it.
The three companions slid to a halt at the foot of the cliff, the young dwarf running into the older as he followed. Syslavia hissed at the cloaked man, or perhaps the dagger in the tree, and began gesturing. Mid-gesture, she pulled a stone from within a pouch at her belt and tossed it into the air. The stone shone as magic was poured into it, and began to take form into an earth elemental, a towering man shaped figure of solid stone. With a gesture from Syslavia, the elemental charged at the dark cloaked figure.
That was all the sign Anglar needed, he charged at the stranger, drew his axe from its loops, and swung at the shape in one fluid motion. The hood of the cloak flew back as the figure jumped away from its blade, revealing a head resembling a fish with a mask of some sort covering the mouth. He heard Pvyar gasp, and Syslavia mutter "Kedge" to herself.
A memory tickled Anglar about the Kedge, but he didn't know what and didn't waste time thinking. His axe swung towards the strange fish head, but the figure ducked to get out of the way. Pevlar had his sword out too and was next to Anglar striking at the Kedge. The ranger swung at the mid section of the cloak, with the Kedge dancing just out of reach. The new position was directly in front of Anglar's axe, and he swung it through where the fish like face had been. Recovering himself, he saw the Kedge had teleported itself several feet away from them.
It gestured at Pevlar, and twin lighting bolts flashed from his hands into the ranger's torso. His friend shook as the lighting coursed through his body and fell to the ground not moving. He adjusted his grip on the handle of the axe as he watched him fall, and flew at the Kedge in a rage. His axe swung back and forth, driving the sea creature back among the trees with each swing. The elemental was also charging towards it, but a quick motion of its hands made the living statue burst into a shower of stones and pebbles.
Anglar shielded himself from the onslaught of stones, but the respite was all the Kedge needed. Another motion of its hands and a flame left its hands to strike something behind him. He didn't need Syslavia's shriek to know its intended target, but still looked back. Syslavia lay on the ground, skin charred as black as those goblins before. Even her robe was on fire. Beyond the erudite, a young cowering dwarf half hid himself behind a tree.
"Run lad!" Anglar belted. "Get out of here!" Rage filled him completely, he knew those words must be said but forgot why as soon as t hey were out. His entire focus was the monstrosity that stood before him. Blindly, he charged at the Kedge with his axe before him. The creature crafted lightning again, but Anglar moved before it struck, the lightning going off to the right of him. The Kedge did not have time to react, and Anglar swung the axe towards the face, slicing the mask it wore in two.
As the axe slid into the strange device, the creature fell to the ground wheezing as if not getting any air. Anglar stood above the thrashing body, raising his axe for a final blow. He didn't hear the footsteps behind him, and did not know he was not alone until a hand was placed on his shoulder. He gave a start, and nearly jumped but didn't have time to turn around. The instant the hand was placed on his shoulder, he felt a pain from it spreading through his entire body. The hurt was like fire seeping directly into him, his muscles gave way and he fell to the ground. As he lay on thrashing with fire spreading on every nerve of his body, he could just make out a dark hand sliding into a gauntlet above before darkness came to him.