The Sarevok Story

Chapter One: Beginnings

Sarevok had collapsed on the Lion's Way road. He had been lying there for a while now, but was happy he was resting somewhere safe at last. Seconds past, followed by minutes and followed by hours. After about 3 hours he heard a trundle of a cart getting closer. He looked up at the large stone block he was lying next to. He couldn't read yet but it had 3 arrows pointing in 3 directions. The cart got closer and closer until it stopped. It stopped next to him. There were two people there, they talked in some other language he didn't understand. They lifted him up from the ground and he twitched. Totally unaware to Sarevok, they were slavers from Amn. "What do you think he's worth?" Said one, "He looks kinda strong..."

"I reckon we could sell him in Baldur's Gate, plenty of willing people there"

"Why don't we just take him down south to the Umar Hills villages? They buy every slave there"

"No, this ones strong, they pay a lot in Baldur's Gate. Perhaps someone can use him as a crate carrier or something..."

"Maybe..."

"C'mon, lets go. We can stop at the Friendly Arm."

Sarevok was completely unaware of what they were saying. He did recognise the word 'Amn' though. It thought it was a city or something.

They travelled for about 6 hours with Sarevok in the cart, his muscles still hurt with great pain. He saw the massive fort of the Friendly Arm and was severely impressed, for he had never seen a castle of any type before. They went inside the Inn, and finally Sarevok sat up. The two men pointed at a chair, and he obediently sat. For now, he felt he should pay them back for carrying him here. He was surrounded by men and women, humans, dwarves gnomes and elves. He felt alone. Very alone. A few hours past before someone he recognised walked in. It was Io. He was walking around a bit. Io had always wanted to be a Death Stalker like most of the people he had been living with. Sarevok stood up from his chair and walked over to him. "Io!" he said, "Io, over here!" Io was a half-ling so he was pretty small and Sarevok could easily lift him up. "Sarevok! Is it you?" He asked

"It's me. How did you get here?"

"I was walking around for ages, and I found this place. Its big!"

"Yeah, two people found me and brought me here. They speak a different talk to us"

"They speak different? That's no good!"

"Maybe you should come with me! They are taking me somewhere I thinks."

Sarevok lead Io over to his companions. Before long, they had noticed him and they were both in the cart going to Baldur's Gate...

Within the period of 2 days, they reached the mighty city of Baldur's Gate. Io and Sarevok were amazed by the building they saw. The traversed the bridge, and led through the crowds of the city. They passed massive buildings of all shapes and sizes and each one amazed them. Soon they reached a massively crowded area, full of markets and small houses. They were brought the man behind a large counter, and the two men started talking. "What do you thinks gonna happen, Sarevok?" Asked Io, Sarevok shrugged and looked up. He was lifted and handed across the counter, he still couldn't work out what was happening. Io was soon passed over and the man behind the counter lifted a pile of shiny circles and gave them to the two men. Then, they were gone. Sarevok looked up, then at Io and said "We've been sold..." Io looked at Sarevok scared, and then at the man that was looking at them. He lifted them both and literally threw them into a door. The door slammed shut and all was silent.

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A few days had passed since they were threw into the dark room. The door only open to feed them scraps of food. But this day it would be different. Talking was heard from the other side of the door constantly. "Think we will be sold again?" asked Io again. "You've asked that fifty million times now!" Exclaimed Sarevok to Io, and Io fell silent and looked at what he hoped was a wall. There was no light in the room. It was a very small from what they could feel, the only tiny bit of light came through the crack beneath the door that only showed what was on the floor. The floor was tiled, but very dirty. It was also extremely uncomfortable and annoying to sleep on. The talking outside suddenly ceased outside and footsteps could be heard approaching the door. Io backed up against the wall, Sarevok could hear his ragged clothes rubbing against the wood. He wasn't all that bothered until the door was slammed open.
The light engulfed the small room immediately and blazed at the two boys' eyes. Their eyes quickly hurt as they hurled their arms up against the light. The men started talking in another language again. "How much for him?" asked the new man, pointing at Sarevok. "Him? the strong one, aye, he will cost you plenty." Said the shop-owner

"How much, I asked?"

"1000"

"Fair enough. How strong you say?"

"He can lift smallish crates pretty well"

"Very well."

He handed him a pouch, totally oblivious to its contents, Sarevok and Io looked in confusions. Their own towns never traded with money, rather goods for goods. A sheep for 4 chickens, a load of eggs for a few pints of milk. Everything was simple. Baldur's Gate was evidently different. Suddenly, Sarevok was grabbed by the arm and dragged out of the room. Io attempted to follow but was pushed back and the door was slammed shut. Darkness.

Sarevok, whilst being quite strong, could not pull out of the mans grip. The two men shook hands and the man pulling Sarevok departed. Sarevok was being dragged like a doll through the crowds in the market, he watched as the crowds often looked at him, and pointed. Their strange language was everywhere and once again he was alone. Alone, to learn alone and to probably live alone... Eventually the crowds came to an end and the sea could be seen. A massive port with dozens of docked ships floated everywhere. Sarevok was given little time to look at his surroundings before being dragged into a boathouse, to him it was just another towering structure. Sarevok was placed in a room, a few models of ships were around the wooden room, there were a few holes in the floor. Below them was total black. A single window lit up the room dimly, no glass on the window let a cool sea air breeze blow around the room. Sarevok, however, was much more intrigued by the model of a ship. He had never seen a ship before, not even the smallest kind. He had seen the water, but had been told it was a dangerous place where Monstrous sea creatures lay in wait and if they don't get you, the sea will eventually swallow you up and kill you. He was told about swimming, but he was also told it was highly dangerous and massively infested with all sorts of strange beasts.

With his knowledge, the model of the ship floating in real water surprised him greatly, and watched it, trying to see if the water would open up and swallow it, or a massive disguised monster would tear it apart. He watched in vain. Eventually, he tired of watching the little ship float around and looked out the window. He saw the bigger ships more clearly now. It was too floating. He didn't understand at all. Before he could start doing anything else, the door flung open again and a man walked in with a very large stick. The man lifted his stick and prodded Sarevok with it. This did not please him much. "He is very skinny" He said, poking the boy with his cane, "I wanted a larger boy"

"I am told he is very strong" Said another man was he walked into the room.

"He had better be," the man with the cane said. He picked him up and asked Sarevok his name. Sarevok had no idea what they were saying to him, and stared blankly at them. The men began talking again. "He isn't from this part of Faerun is he?" asked the man with the cane,

"I wasn't told" Said the other. He prodded the boy with the cane again, this time angering Sarevok. "I want him taught." The man with the cane said. The other man bowed and walked out the room. The man with the cane looked at Sarevok for a while, then pointed at a smallish crate. Sarevok looked, but didn't do anything. The man walked up to the crate and lifted it with ease. It was a bit heavy, but easily lifted by a grown man. He put it down, pointed at the crate again, then at Sarevok. He lifted it again and pointed. Sarevok walked up to the crate and lifted it quite slowly, which was understandable for a 6 year old. The man with the cane smirked happily, pointed at the ground and left the room. Sarevok put the crate down and watched him leave. He was confused. Why had the man wanted him to lift a crate? He had no idea, but he was then amazed by the ships again, and walked to the window with a crate. He stood on the crate, and gave a much better view of the ships. He watched.