Chapter One. The Beginnings
Rodor had walked for days and days. Living off of small animals, berries, and sometimes leafs. He was ragged and dirty when he reached the settlement of Solace. He walked straight to the inn and used his last few pieces of platinum for a meal.
After eating, he looked around. There were all sorts of people, most armored in various copper. Some were helmed and some weren't, there were two dwarves boxing in the middle of the inn. Rodor watched with confusion how when one of the dwarves fell down, they both playfully slapped each others back, and went about their business.
Suddenly he felt naked. He looked to his waist and saw his dagger was gone. Looking around Rodor saw no one dashing away, the inn had been just the same. Rodor had never been stolen from before. He quickly stood up and almost ran out of the inn.
Outside there were people discussing things from the mines to the growing paxian threat. Frustrated, Rodor walked towards the entrance of the town, when he heard the sounds of swordplay from the north. He walked though some trees to find a small clearing in he wood, full of practice dummies. He quickly walked over to a near-by woman who was violently attacking a dummy with a long sword and asked "What is this place?"
Surprise to hear his voice she missed a swing and almost fell down. She got straight back up and said "A training area."
"For what?" Rodor asked, appalled.
"You're new to this town, aren't ye." She commented "Those paxian bastards from the south are growing hostile. they killed a caravan of supplies that we needed that was from new port last week."
Rodor had studied some of the maps of the land while he was in his own caravan. He knew that Pax Tharkus, home of the Paxian's and their slaves was to the far south of Solace, and that New Port was a small port, that ships from Haven would dock at. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on but he asked "Mind if I join?"
She grunted and motioned to the dummy next to her. Rodor unsheathed his greatsword and began to swing. "I didn't catch your name." He said.
"That's because I didn't say it. But if you must know it's Jeroha." She replied.
As the day went on more and more people came. Some would use sticks, others their bare hands. After a few hours a man in black came into the clearing. And slowly made his way to a woman to used a knife on her dummy. He reached into her pouch and stole a hefty amount of platinum. The woman noticed instantly and slashed the man in black with her knife but missed. She then cried out "THIEF!!!"
Rodor suddenly became aware of the situation and ran to the man in black who was already running. He turned around and drew a thin Rapier blade to face Rodor. Jeroha was also coming at the thief and got behind him. The man in black had not noticed Jeroha and was ready to fight Rodor, but suddenly he slumped to his knees as Jeroha stabbed him in the back.
The man in black was on his knees. Rodor shouted "Give the woman her platinum back!"
The thief did the opposite, he started to pull out a knife that Rodor immediately recognized as his own, and in one brutal swing he tore the man's head from his body.
He took his knife back, and looked in the man's pouch for the woman's gold he saw a mace made of iron. Rodor took that as well as his gold. He then walked over to the woman and said "Here you are." Giving her his gold.
The woman looked instantly relived saying "Thankyou. oh, I'm so sorry! My name is Ridel."
Rodor was feeling a stronger fighter now, and there was some extra platinum from the thief that Rodor had stolen, so he suggested "Jeroha, Ridel. It's been a long day. Lets go to the inn and have a drink, it's on me"
They both agreed so they made their way to the inn, they did not get far. Just as they got outside the training area a man rushed up to them and said "Hurry! Come quick! You've got to help us!"
The three of them followed the man to behind a small building that looked as if it sold clothes. Behind the building there were three men and the one who led them there, all armed and and standing.
The men positioned themselves to that Rodor Jeroha and Ridel had all of their backs against the wall. Instantly sensing the situation Jeroha drew her long sword and gave out a screeching warcry and the four men moved in.
Ridel was still reaching for her dagger when the first blade pierced her, then another and she slumped to the ground. In rage Rodor drew his Great Sword and sliced one of his attackers in the gut, their intestines falling out of his belly.
Jeroha was parrying two bandits with her back to a tree, Rodor started to go towards her when the third hit Rodor in the head with a mace. His face was torn but Rodor fought for his life.
A quick glance at Jeroha showed that she was in none to good shape, and was already scratched and bleeding. Rodor knew he needed to get to her but the man with the mace was too fast for him. In a state of sheer rage and frustration he managed to hit the mans arm where he held the mace. The man was knocked down by the force of Rodor's hit. Rodor then put his great sword into the man's neck.
Jeroha saw that Rodor had defeated his enemy and stabbed one of her own, killing him. The other one then stabbed Jeroha in the gut and she sank to the ground. Rodor came behind him and stabbed him in the back with his dagger.
Suddenly the carnage was over. All of the men were dead. He rushed to Jeroha, but her life was slipping out of her with her blood. Rodor walked to her but she died before he reached her. Suddenly he was aware. Aware of all he had lost. His past life, and now the only two friends he had; both lost to bandits. Rodor took two steps back from the scene, then two, three. He was running and he did not know where too.
He ran through the west exit of the town and went into a small hollow in a cliff, and laid down to escape the rain. Feeling horribly, horribly lost, he went to sleep.
The next morning he was awoken by a badger scuffling through the grass near by. Rodor grabbed his knife and killed it.
While he ate his meal he realized that the bandits were all clad in copper. Quickly and hoping the corpses were still there ran to the scene of the fight. Sadly, everything had already been looted. Only pools of blood remained.
He slowly walked to the forge. He would need armor. The heat of the forge was extreme, ten forges blazing, and the noise was just the same with ten anvils all being pounded.
He walked to a man behind a forge. And asked "I need armor"
The smith looked him over and replied "That you do. The best I can make is copper scale mail, though."
Rodor grinned and said "Good enough, I'll take one"
The Smith then said "Sure thing, but I need money"
Rodor had not considered this. He had none. So he told the smith to start working on the armor and he would be back eventually. Once outside he saw a man carrying a large sack full of animal skins that he was selling to vendors. He was only making about one platinum a skin, but his sack was so full he could be making hundreds.
Inspired, Rodor grabbed his knife and planned to do just the same. He found badgers and deer. Skinned them and sold the skins. It was hard work, and time consuming.
Over the course of six days Rodor finally had saved 60 platinum pieces. He strode into the forge and found the man who he had talked to before and asked "Do you have my armor?"
The smith looked up from the sword he was crafting, and pulled a suit of scales from behind his anvil. And said "That'll be seventy platinum pieces."
Rodor put on his best socked face and said "Seventy?! That's highway robbery! Fifty!" "Fifty-five and not a piece lower." The smith growled. He then added "And that's not highway robbery." Gleefully Rodor paid and put his new suit on, just as he was thanking the smith for doing such a wonderful job on the copper scales, a dwarven woman ran into the forge and screamed "The Pax are attacking!!! Everyone to Arms the Pax are attacking!!!"
Rodor drew his sword, the smith who made his armor and another smith ran out of the forge while other smiths muttered about wanting to stay out of it. The dwarven woman led them to the south part of town where Rodor was put in a group, with one woman cald in silver plate, and a longsword with shield, a kender who looked to be a warrior and the two smiths.
As they went into the battle-field their were already corpses all over. Rodor asked the smith who made his armor. "What is your name?"
The smith replied "I'm Sunrain Elas, cleric healer. And that be my friend Tolan."
The battle was most over it seemed when Rodor and the others reached it, corpses were so thick you could hardly see the grass beneath them. Rodor managed to get some good items from them; a copper coif, some nice brown gloves, and a few magical potions of healing.
When they reached the battle the paxian's were falling back and the woman in iron plate screamed "Chaaaaaarge!" and they charged, running down pax and chasing them, past the old south road, and they charged, killing and chasing all the way to an area Rodor remembered as being called Gateway, it was a few small farms surrounded by trees.
In the middle of the area Rodor saw a Paxian, injured and slowly moving. He ran in. "Rodor, NO!" Sunrain called, but the furry of battle made Rodor rush at them suddenly five paxian's ran out of the trees shooting arrows, one hit Rodor in the leg as Tolan tried to go in to save Rodor but he was hit in the side with an arrow. Rodor swung and killed the injured paxian and tried to get to cover but before he could move another hit his side. The woman clad in iron was calling for whoever had bows or crossbows to shoot the archers, and Rodor's world spun as he hit the ground.
Hours later, Rodor awoke, he was naked and his great sword was gone. Even the arrows that were planted in his leg and side had been stolen.
Rodor tried to stand, but the pain in his leg was too much, so he crawled, slowly. There were naked corpses around everywhere, he could not tell if Solace had won the battle or not. It was raining again as Rodor slowly crawled back to Solace. If the town lay in ruins, he would know who had won the battle.
Rodor had walked for days and days. Living off of small animals, berries, and sometimes leafs. He was ragged and dirty when he reached the settlement of Solace. He walked straight to the inn and used his last few pieces of platinum for a meal.
After eating, he looked around. There were all sorts of people, most armored in various copper. Some were helmed and some weren't, there were two dwarves boxing in the middle of the inn. Rodor watched with confusion how when one of the dwarves fell down, they both playfully slapped each others back, and went about their business.
Suddenly he felt naked. He looked to his waist and saw his dagger was gone. Looking around Rodor saw no one dashing away, the inn had been just the same. Rodor had never been stolen from before. He quickly stood up and almost ran out of the inn.
Outside there were people discussing things from the mines to the growing paxian threat. Frustrated, Rodor walked towards the entrance of the town, when he heard the sounds of swordplay from the north. He walked though some trees to find a small clearing in he wood, full of practice dummies. He quickly walked over to a near-by woman who was violently attacking a dummy with a long sword and asked "What is this place?"
Surprise to hear his voice she missed a swing and almost fell down. She got straight back up and said "A training area."
"For what?" Rodor asked, appalled.
"You're new to this town, aren't ye." She commented "Those paxian bastards from the south are growing hostile. they killed a caravan of supplies that we needed that was from new port last week."
Rodor had studied some of the maps of the land while he was in his own caravan. He knew that Pax Tharkus, home of the Paxian's and their slaves was to the far south of Solace, and that New Port was a small port, that ships from Haven would dock at. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on but he asked "Mind if I join?"
She grunted and motioned to the dummy next to her. Rodor unsheathed his greatsword and began to swing. "I didn't catch your name." He said.
"That's because I didn't say it. But if you must know it's Jeroha." She replied.
As the day went on more and more people came. Some would use sticks, others their bare hands. After a few hours a man in black came into the clearing. And slowly made his way to a woman to used a knife on her dummy. He reached into her pouch and stole a hefty amount of platinum. The woman noticed instantly and slashed the man in black with her knife but missed. She then cried out "THIEF!!!"
Rodor suddenly became aware of the situation and ran to the man in black who was already running. He turned around and drew a thin Rapier blade to face Rodor. Jeroha was also coming at the thief and got behind him. The man in black had not noticed Jeroha and was ready to fight Rodor, but suddenly he slumped to his knees as Jeroha stabbed him in the back.
The man in black was on his knees. Rodor shouted "Give the woman her platinum back!"
The thief did the opposite, he started to pull out a knife that Rodor immediately recognized as his own, and in one brutal swing he tore the man's head from his body.
He took his knife back, and looked in the man's pouch for the woman's gold he saw a mace made of iron. Rodor took that as well as his gold. He then walked over to the woman and said "Here you are." Giving her his gold.
The woman looked instantly relived saying "Thankyou. oh, I'm so sorry! My name is Ridel."
Rodor was feeling a stronger fighter now, and there was some extra platinum from the thief that Rodor had stolen, so he suggested "Jeroha, Ridel. It's been a long day. Lets go to the inn and have a drink, it's on me"
They both agreed so they made their way to the inn, they did not get far. Just as they got outside the training area a man rushed up to them and said "Hurry! Come quick! You've got to help us!"
The three of them followed the man to behind a small building that looked as if it sold clothes. Behind the building there were three men and the one who led them there, all armed and and standing.
The men positioned themselves to that Rodor Jeroha and Ridel had all of their backs against the wall. Instantly sensing the situation Jeroha drew her long sword and gave out a screeching warcry and the four men moved in.
Ridel was still reaching for her dagger when the first blade pierced her, then another and she slumped to the ground. In rage Rodor drew his Great Sword and sliced one of his attackers in the gut, their intestines falling out of his belly.
Jeroha was parrying two bandits with her back to a tree, Rodor started to go towards her when the third hit Rodor in the head with a mace. His face was torn but Rodor fought for his life.
A quick glance at Jeroha showed that she was in none to good shape, and was already scratched and bleeding. Rodor knew he needed to get to her but the man with the mace was too fast for him. In a state of sheer rage and frustration he managed to hit the mans arm where he held the mace. The man was knocked down by the force of Rodor's hit. Rodor then put his great sword into the man's neck.
Jeroha saw that Rodor had defeated his enemy and stabbed one of her own, killing him. The other one then stabbed Jeroha in the gut and she sank to the ground. Rodor came behind him and stabbed him in the back with his dagger.
Suddenly the carnage was over. All of the men were dead. He rushed to Jeroha, but her life was slipping out of her with her blood. Rodor walked to her but she died before he reached her. Suddenly he was aware. Aware of all he had lost. His past life, and now the only two friends he had; both lost to bandits. Rodor took two steps back from the scene, then two, three. He was running and he did not know where too.
He ran through the west exit of the town and went into a small hollow in a cliff, and laid down to escape the rain. Feeling horribly, horribly lost, he went to sleep.
The next morning he was awoken by a badger scuffling through the grass near by. Rodor grabbed his knife and killed it.
While he ate his meal he realized that the bandits were all clad in copper. Quickly and hoping the corpses were still there ran to the scene of the fight. Sadly, everything had already been looted. Only pools of blood remained.
He slowly walked to the forge. He would need armor. The heat of the forge was extreme, ten forges blazing, and the noise was just the same with ten anvils all being pounded.
He walked to a man behind a forge. And asked "I need armor"
The smith looked him over and replied "That you do. The best I can make is copper scale mail, though."
Rodor grinned and said "Good enough, I'll take one"
The Smith then said "Sure thing, but I need money"
Rodor had not considered this. He had none. So he told the smith to start working on the armor and he would be back eventually. Once outside he saw a man carrying a large sack full of animal skins that he was selling to vendors. He was only making about one platinum a skin, but his sack was so full he could be making hundreds.
Inspired, Rodor grabbed his knife and planned to do just the same. He found badgers and deer. Skinned them and sold the skins. It was hard work, and time consuming.
Over the course of six days Rodor finally had saved 60 platinum pieces. He strode into the forge and found the man who he had talked to before and asked "Do you have my armor?"
The smith looked up from the sword he was crafting, and pulled a suit of scales from behind his anvil. And said "That'll be seventy platinum pieces."
Rodor put on his best socked face and said "Seventy?! That's highway robbery! Fifty!" "Fifty-five and not a piece lower." The smith growled. He then added "And that's not highway robbery." Gleefully Rodor paid and put his new suit on, just as he was thanking the smith for doing such a wonderful job on the copper scales, a dwarven woman ran into the forge and screamed "The Pax are attacking!!! Everyone to Arms the Pax are attacking!!!"
Rodor drew his sword, the smith who made his armor and another smith ran out of the forge while other smiths muttered about wanting to stay out of it. The dwarven woman led them to the south part of town where Rodor was put in a group, with one woman cald in silver plate, and a longsword with shield, a kender who looked to be a warrior and the two smiths.
As they went into the battle-field their were already corpses all over. Rodor asked the smith who made his armor. "What is your name?"
The smith replied "I'm Sunrain Elas, cleric healer. And that be my friend Tolan."
The battle was most over it seemed when Rodor and the others reached it, corpses were so thick you could hardly see the grass beneath them. Rodor managed to get some good items from them; a copper coif, some nice brown gloves, and a few magical potions of healing.
When they reached the battle the paxian's were falling back and the woman in iron plate screamed "Chaaaaaarge!" and they charged, running down pax and chasing them, past the old south road, and they charged, killing and chasing all the way to an area Rodor remembered as being called Gateway, it was a few small farms surrounded by trees.
In the middle of the area Rodor saw a Paxian, injured and slowly moving. He ran in. "Rodor, NO!" Sunrain called, but the furry of battle made Rodor rush at them suddenly five paxian's ran out of the trees shooting arrows, one hit Rodor in the leg as Tolan tried to go in to save Rodor but he was hit in the side with an arrow. Rodor swung and killed the injured paxian and tried to get to cover but before he could move another hit his side. The woman clad in iron was calling for whoever had bows or crossbows to shoot the archers, and Rodor's world spun as he hit the ground.
Hours later, Rodor awoke, he was naked and his great sword was gone. Even the arrows that were planted in his leg and side had been stolen.
Rodor tried to stand, but the pain in his leg was too much, so he crawled, slowly. There were naked corpses around everywhere, he could not tell if Solace had won the battle or not. It was raining again as Rodor slowly crawled back to Solace. If the town lay in ruins, he would know who had won the battle.