The Success of a Failure
Part 1, Endings and Beginnings
The sun shone brightly over Gukta. At one time knows as Grobb, the city had been taken over by the new Froglok race after they had been blessed by the god Mithanial Marr. It was renamed Gukta, Outpost of Marr and the Frogloks had flourished there since.
The city was filled with the normal noises; Smiths hammering away at armor and weapons, merchants yelling in the market, and the general hum of the city. Down below in the main courtyard a voice could be heard above the general bustle.
"Erok! What in marr's name are you doing!" Shin Master Grubbus, the guildmaster for the paladin guild in Gukta yelled out. "Put that sword down before you cut off someone's arm!"
He hopped over to a young Froglok and yanked the sword from his hand. Putting the sword back on its display stand near the weapons merchant, he turned back to the young frog. "Erok, why do I have to keep telling you to stay away from the weapons merchants?"
The young frog hung his head and answered softly, "I don't know..." Grubbus froaked in irritation and quickly apologized to the merchant. "I'm sorry for my initiate's lack of respect for your wares, I apologize." The merchant waved his hand in answer, "No need Grubbus, nothing was broke."
The guildmaster turned back to Erok. "You, go back to the guildhall and memorize the first two pages of your spellbook. Come see me after that." With that Grubbus took off towards the market. Erok shook his head and turned back to the merchant.
"Thanks for letting me take a look at it Gluko. Maybe someday I'll be able to buy it." The merchant smiled and nodded at Erok. "Anytime Erok, I'm sorry you got in trouble again. Now, you better head on over to your guildhall and memorize those pages. Don't wanna keep Grubbus waiting."
Erok nodded and waved goodbye to Gluko. He headed through the market, dodging carts and ducking behind booths to get through the crowd. He arrived at the guildhall a few minutes later.
The hall was little more than a collection of tunnels and caves that were used by the Trolls that lived in Gukta before the Frogloks had come. Erok headed down and took up a spot in one of the far back rooms. Fishing his spellbook out of his pouch, he settled down to study.
He had been studying for half an hour when a female voice took his view from his book. "Erok! What's up!" Erok smiled and set is book on the table before turning to the person greeting him. It was Leena, his best friend and a member of the Cleric guild. Both the paladin and the cleric guilds used the same guildhall. Lack of space and a common set of spells and training forced them too.
"Hi Leena. I'm just studying. Grubbus saw me with that sword again and sent me here to do some busy work." Leena sat down next to him and opened her obviously much bigger spell book. Erok stared at her book for a moment as she turned page after page of spells.
"Wow, those look really advanced. I'm glad I don't have to learn them." Leena glanced up at him, "Actually all the advanced Paladin students have to learn these. Maybe one day I can help you learn them."
Erok nodded. He picked his book back up and the two studied another half hour before the clock on the wall started to chime. Erok glanced at the clock, a gift from the Gnome paladin guildmaster, "I gotta go Leena. Grubbus wants to see me now."
Leena muttered a quick goodbye between spells as Erok shot off towards the door. He stepped outside and hopped up to the circle of guildmasters standing around. The guildmasters liked to gather out in the open to chitchat and discuss various topics about their respective guilds. Erok approached and patiently waited for Grubbus to finish talking. Grubbus glanced at him but said nothing to him as he continued to gossip with the rest of the group.
After a few minutes Grubbus excused himself and took Erok aside. "I had a talk with the fellow guildmasters about you Erok. We all agree that something should be done." Grubbus glanced around before continuing to speak. "Your falling behind in your studies and your attitude has been far to lax for my liking. I'm sorry to do this Erok."
With that, he reached up and pulled Erok's initiate's brooch from around his neck. "Initiate Erok. You have proven yourself unable to handle the duties required for your position. I have no choice but to strip you of your rank and cast you out of the guild."
Erok's heart sank. He was in shock. "Cast out? But sir! Give me another chance!" Grubbus shook his head. "I'm sorry Erok. I have given you more than enough chances. If you would like, you can try out for the home guard militia. They are always in need of more volunteers so I'm sure you can get in."
Erok nodded as Grubbus patted him on the shoulder before turning and heading back to the gathering of guildmasters. The young frog walked off in a daze. This couldn't happen he thought. Becoming a paladin had always been his dream. Here he was barely an initiate and already he had failed.
He eventually arrived at Gluko's stall and the elder frog greeted him. "Good day Erok! Why the long face?" Erok turned towards him and Gluko noticed his brooch was missing. "Oh...I'm sorry Erok. If I had known playing with a sword would cause so much trouble I would have never left it out on display."
Erok shook his head. "No Gluko, it's my fault. It isn't about the sword. It never was." The merchant nodded in understanding. "What are you going to do now? I hear the militia is in need of..." Erok cut him off. "No, I'm not joining the militia. All I ever wanted to be was a paladin. Now that I can't I don't know what I'll do. Maybe ill learn a trade skill or something."
The merchant smiled and slapped Erok on the back. "That's the spirit! I bet you'd be a great blacksmith or tailor! When I was younger I was quite the sword maker. Now though, my old arms just don't have the strength to do the job. So I decided that if I can't make the swords, I'd sell them. And now here I am."
Erok laughed slightly and said goodbye to the merchant. He made his way back to his families' home and told them the news. His mother hugged him and said it didn't matter that he wasn't an initiate any longer, she still loved him. His father, an accomplished brewer, went off on how he could join the business with him and make ale. Erok listened halfheartedly as his father rambled on. He excused himself after a few minutes and went to his room. He stared at the small clay statue of Mithanial Marr. A High Elf paladin gave it to him when he was young. The elf had come to Gukta right after Erok was born to help establish the new paladin guild and help with the initial training. Erok sighed and thought about his future. He couldn't make ale with his father, and he didn't think he could become a smith or tailor. No, he was longing for adventure and glory. There was nothing glorious about making ale.
Later that night Erok settled down to meditate. He may no longer be an initiate, but that didn't mean that he couldn't continue to practice what he learned. After several minutes Erok fell into a deep trance. Blackness swirled in his vision and he couldn't seem to open his eyes. An image of the city known as Freeport suddenly flashed in his mind. Erok gasped as the image burned itself into his mind and he was let out of his trance.
The young frog's breath came quickly and his heart was racing. He looked outside and noticed the moon hanging high in the sky. Without a second thought he gathered his few belongings and put them in his backpack. For reasons he did not know he was drawn to leave and visit Freeport.
Erok snuck through the darkened house, careful not to wake his parents in the other room. He managed to get out without making a sound. Pulling his backpack higher up on his back, Erok started down the path towards Innothule Swamp. He passed through the market and picked up a few traveling rations from late night merchants with the little amount of money he had saved up over the years.
He passed by Gluko's stall in the courtyard and stopped again to look at the sword on display. Moonlight glinted sharply off the polished blade. It was a fine steel long sword. The blade was engraved with delicate designs and the hilt was wrapped in leather. It was a fine weapon.
He was just about to leave when a voice called from the darkness. "Erok." He stiffened suddenly but relaxed when Gluko stepped out from the shadows. "I know you're leaving Erok. Care to tell an old friend where you're going?"
Erok shook his head. "I can't. I don't even know why I'm going. All I can say is that is far off and I might not make it back."
The elder frog nodded and took up the long sword. He put it in Erok's trembling hand. "What kind of friend would I be if I let you go out into the swamp without a proper weapon?" Gluko fished out the belt and sheath for it and handed to Erok. The young frog clasped the belt around his waist and sheathed his sword. "I don't know how I can repay you. Maybe someday I can return the favor."
Gluko laughed softly. "My boy, you owe me nothing. Consider a going away present." Erok nodded and pushed his backpack up again. "Well, I guess this is farewell. I hope to see you again Gluko." The elder shook his outstretched hand. "And I hope I see you again young one. Now, you better get out of here before anyone else notices you." Erok thanked the merchant again and waved goodbye as he hopped to the gate. It was open and the two guards simply nodded as he walked through and into the large tunnel that connected Gukta with Innothule Swamp. He took one last look at Gukta. One life was over, and another had begun.
Part 1, Endings and Beginnings
The sun shone brightly over Gukta. At one time knows as Grobb, the city had been taken over by the new Froglok race after they had been blessed by the god Mithanial Marr. It was renamed Gukta, Outpost of Marr and the Frogloks had flourished there since.
The city was filled with the normal noises; Smiths hammering away at armor and weapons, merchants yelling in the market, and the general hum of the city. Down below in the main courtyard a voice could be heard above the general bustle.
"Erok! What in marr's name are you doing!" Shin Master Grubbus, the guildmaster for the paladin guild in Gukta yelled out. "Put that sword down before you cut off someone's arm!"
He hopped over to a young Froglok and yanked the sword from his hand. Putting the sword back on its display stand near the weapons merchant, he turned back to the young frog. "Erok, why do I have to keep telling you to stay away from the weapons merchants?"
The young frog hung his head and answered softly, "I don't know..." Grubbus froaked in irritation and quickly apologized to the merchant. "I'm sorry for my initiate's lack of respect for your wares, I apologize." The merchant waved his hand in answer, "No need Grubbus, nothing was broke."
The guildmaster turned back to Erok. "You, go back to the guildhall and memorize the first two pages of your spellbook. Come see me after that." With that Grubbus took off towards the market. Erok shook his head and turned back to the merchant.
"Thanks for letting me take a look at it Gluko. Maybe someday I'll be able to buy it." The merchant smiled and nodded at Erok. "Anytime Erok, I'm sorry you got in trouble again. Now, you better head on over to your guildhall and memorize those pages. Don't wanna keep Grubbus waiting."
Erok nodded and waved goodbye to Gluko. He headed through the market, dodging carts and ducking behind booths to get through the crowd. He arrived at the guildhall a few minutes later.
The hall was little more than a collection of tunnels and caves that were used by the Trolls that lived in Gukta before the Frogloks had come. Erok headed down and took up a spot in one of the far back rooms. Fishing his spellbook out of his pouch, he settled down to study.
He had been studying for half an hour when a female voice took his view from his book. "Erok! What's up!" Erok smiled and set is book on the table before turning to the person greeting him. It was Leena, his best friend and a member of the Cleric guild. Both the paladin and the cleric guilds used the same guildhall. Lack of space and a common set of spells and training forced them too.
"Hi Leena. I'm just studying. Grubbus saw me with that sword again and sent me here to do some busy work." Leena sat down next to him and opened her obviously much bigger spell book. Erok stared at her book for a moment as she turned page after page of spells.
"Wow, those look really advanced. I'm glad I don't have to learn them." Leena glanced up at him, "Actually all the advanced Paladin students have to learn these. Maybe one day I can help you learn them."
Erok nodded. He picked his book back up and the two studied another half hour before the clock on the wall started to chime. Erok glanced at the clock, a gift from the Gnome paladin guildmaster, "I gotta go Leena. Grubbus wants to see me now."
Leena muttered a quick goodbye between spells as Erok shot off towards the door. He stepped outside and hopped up to the circle of guildmasters standing around. The guildmasters liked to gather out in the open to chitchat and discuss various topics about their respective guilds. Erok approached and patiently waited for Grubbus to finish talking. Grubbus glanced at him but said nothing to him as he continued to gossip with the rest of the group.
After a few minutes Grubbus excused himself and took Erok aside. "I had a talk with the fellow guildmasters about you Erok. We all agree that something should be done." Grubbus glanced around before continuing to speak. "Your falling behind in your studies and your attitude has been far to lax for my liking. I'm sorry to do this Erok."
With that, he reached up and pulled Erok's initiate's brooch from around his neck. "Initiate Erok. You have proven yourself unable to handle the duties required for your position. I have no choice but to strip you of your rank and cast you out of the guild."
Erok's heart sank. He was in shock. "Cast out? But sir! Give me another chance!" Grubbus shook his head. "I'm sorry Erok. I have given you more than enough chances. If you would like, you can try out for the home guard militia. They are always in need of more volunteers so I'm sure you can get in."
Erok nodded as Grubbus patted him on the shoulder before turning and heading back to the gathering of guildmasters. The young frog walked off in a daze. This couldn't happen he thought. Becoming a paladin had always been his dream. Here he was barely an initiate and already he had failed.
He eventually arrived at Gluko's stall and the elder frog greeted him. "Good day Erok! Why the long face?" Erok turned towards him and Gluko noticed his brooch was missing. "Oh...I'm sorry Erok. If I had known playing with a sword would cause so much trouble I would have never left it out on display."
Erok shook his head. "No Gluko, it's my fault. It isn't about the sword. It never was." The merchant nodded in understanding. "What are you going to do now? I hear the militia is in need of..." Erok cut him off. "No, I'm not joining the militia. All I ever wanted to be was a paladin. Now that I can't I don't know what I'll do. Maybe ill learn a trade skill or something."
The merchant smiled and slapped Erok on the back. "That's the spirit! I bet you'd be a great blacksmith or tailor! When I was younger I was quite the sword maker. Now though, my old arms just don't have the strength to do the job. So I decided that if I can't make the swords, I'd sell them. And now here I am."
Erok laughed slightly and said goodbye to the merchant. He made his way back to his families' home and told them the news. His mother hugged him and said it didn't matter that he wasn't an initiate any longer, she still loved him. His father, an accomplished brewer, went off on how he could join the business with him and make ale. Erok listened halfheartedly as his father rambled on. He excused himself after a few minutes and went to his room. He stared at the small clay statue of Mithanial Marr. A High Elf paladin gave it to him when he was young. The elf had come to Gukta right after Erok was born to help establish the new paladin guild and help with the initial training. Erok sighed and thought about his future. He couldn't make ale with his father, and he didn't think he could become a smith or tailor. No, he was longing for adventure and glory. There was nothing glorious about making ale.
Later that night Erok settled down to meditate. He may no longer be an initiate, but that didn't mean that he couldn't continue to practice what he learned. After several minutes Erok fell into a deep trance. Blackness swirled in his vision and he couldn't seem to open his eyes. An image of the city known as Freeport suddenly flashed in his mind. Erok gasped as the image burned itself into his mind and he was let out of his trance.
The young frog's breath came quickly and his heart was racing. He looked outside and noticed the moon hanging high in the sky. Without a second thought he gathered his few belongings and put them in his backpack. For reasons he did not know he was drawn to leave and visit Freeport.
Erok snuck through the darkened house, careful not to wake his parents in the other room. He managed to get out without making a sound. Pulling his backpack higher up on his back, Erok started down the path towards Innothule Swamp. He passed through the market and picked up a few traveling rations from late night merchants with the little amount of money he had saved up over the years.
He passed by Gluko's stall in the courtyard and stopped again to look at the sword on display. Moonlight glinted sharply off the polished blade. It was a fine steel long sword. The blade was engraved with delicate designs and the hilt was wrapped in leather. It was a fine weapon.
He was just about to leave when a voice called from the darkness. "Erok." He stiffened suddenly but relaxed when Gluko stepped out from the shadows. "I know you're leaving Erok. Care to tell an old friend where you're going?"
Erok shook his head. "I can't. I don't even know why I'm going. All I can say is that is far off and I might not make it back."
The elder frog nodded and took up the long sword. He put it in Erok's trembling hand. "What kind of friend would I be if I let you go out into the swamp without a proper weapon?" Gluko fished out the belt and sheath for it and handed to Erok. The young frog clasped the belt around his waist and sheathed his sword. "I don't know how I can repay you. Maybe someday I can return the favor."
Gluko laughed softly. "My boy, you owe me nothing. Consider a going away present." Erok nodded and pushed his backpack up again. "Well, I guess this is farewell. I hope to see you again Gluko." The elder shook his outstretched hand. "And I hope I see you again young one. Now, you better get out of here before anyone else notices you." Erok thanked the merchant again and waved goodbye as he hopped to the gate. It was open and the two guards simply nodded as he walked through and into the large tunnel that connected Gukta with Innothule Swamp. He took one last look at Gukta. One life was over, and another had begun.