Chapter 1
A Dream
One Year has past since my last adventure, I do miss the excitement of travelling. It's nice to be with my beloved sisters again but the road whispers my name. Even if I love our fair forest I want to walk where the road takes me. I want no safety, but surprise, being limitless and free. I want to see a stranger's face, shake a strange hand. Perhaps I should go north, visit the high elven cities across the Sea of Fallen Stars. But down the road I'll go, the long endless road…
Sharing Roads
The city Cimbar, my first stay and rest before I cross the Sea of Fallen Stars. There seems to be a huge problem with living dead, so I need to stay here till the harbour is opened again for common transport to continue my travels. People look troubled and there is a pressing gloom hanging over the city. I fear the situation is more serious then I expected when I arrived.
On many places in the city there are recruiting flyers hanging to the wall:
"Requested, brave HEROS, who are willing to fight evil, sign up at the dock district. He who Triumphs shall be rewarded greatly and have everlasting fame and glory! "
I've had enough of the living dead, the sooner I can leave here the better. I'll let the call pass me and just pray I can leave soon.
This evening, at the Inn where I'm staying, a lady told me that a group of adventurers departed the day before I arrived. Ever since I saw that flyer I wondered why they're recruiting common would-be hero's to fight evil. But rumour goes that it's a secret mission independent from the army that is keeping the undead at bay from the cities and villages.
Early in the morning I'm roused by the sound of commotion and gathering of people. I wonder what all the noise is about…
Downstairs at the Inn I hear people saying that the army of the undead is defeated and the brain behind the assault has been killed by the four adventurers, That's great news indeed, means I'll be on my way again then.
As I make a little sight seeing tour through the city I noticed that the people are merry and in the mood for celebration, I can feel a feast coming up. Though I'm not a big fan of crowded events I do feel like staying a little longer and perhaps finding out who those adventurers are.
At the town square a stage is being erected and tables being set. Lots of people are active in helping with the building and I can't help but noticing a group of people surrounding a loud voiced person who's cleaving air with a rapier.
Amazed by the spectacle I step a bit closer into the group when I suddenly hear a small voice calling my name. To my great surprise it seems to be the Halfling Yaeri. Who would have thought I would see that little rascal again? After being introduced to esquire Tittus – the noisy man who was swinging his rapier - it seems that Yaeri, and Tittus, were part of the four brave adventurers. Surely bravery doesn't come with size. I invited Yaeri over to my residence at the Inn called "The Bright Butter Knife" so we could catch up on all kinds of stuff.
After sleep being rubbed from my eyes and being greeted by the morning sunshine I look out the window and see a lovely decorated city view. I pull my friend Yaeri out of bed and tell her to get ready.
"Come on you little lazy head, get up"
"Can't I stay a little bit longer?" Yaeri mumbles
"They have breakfast downstairs, and it smells lovely, mmmmm, come on…" and I pull Yaeris arm.
Coming downstairs, I find lots of travellers around the breakfast tables, eating and drinking and laughing.
"I've heard it's gonna be a hell of a party today" I hear a man say between eating sounds and a large burp. How disgusting is that… sigh
Anyway, there comes Yaeri down the stairs, stairs that are kind of big for my little Halfling friend.
As reader of this you should know something about this little person. Yaeri was cursed before birth. The Gods said that he or she would be an abomination. At first sight Yaeri looks very normal, but the problems start when you have to address Yaeri, whether you use him or her. That's right Yaeri is both at the same time. Is that possible? So it seems … So this leaves me in a difficult situation when talking about him or her. See? That's what I mean.
Anyway, after a good breakfast we decide to look up Tittus and the other two adventurers. We find Tittus in the Inn "The Prancing Okapi," being noisy as usual, telling stories about great adventures and heroes, this time his own adventure.
"Hi there Tittus, ready for the party?" I hear Yaeri saying.
"Oh yes, that bloody party. But why? We got our money. Why couldn't that mayor let us just go? Oh NOOOO, he has to organise a party…" Tittus mumbles sarcastic between his teeth. I glance quizzically to Yaeri and wonder if he's always like this or if it's just a bad morning mood.
"If you will excuse me, I've got some errands to do" he says as he leaves through the door.
"You go with him" I tell Yaeri "Let's meet this evening at the party, shall we?"
A Black Arrow
We all meet again at the evening party, lots of people showed up and a music band is already playing at the stage. I'm sitting at the table with Yaeri and Tittus. I start to wonder who those other two adventurers are since; I haven't caught a glimpse of those.
The music stops playing and a loud voice comes from behind us. It sounds very like the voice of the Mayor, a short man, full of the joy of life.
"My dear citizens, travellers, and many others. Tonight is a special night cuz tonight we're gonna celebrate, the return of the four heroes who has saved our beloved city. Correction, not only this city, but many more. We are all very thankful and the theatre committee has decided to make a play dedicated to our four heroes. I hope you'll all enjoy it and let the beer flow…"
The short man descends from the stage while the crowd explodes in loud cheering.
As the stage is being occupied by somewhat ridiculous actors doing a somewhat more ridiculous play full of the worlds most well known clichés, food and drink is being shared.
"My god, am I happy we rejected the offer to participate in the play. We would've made fools of ourselves" says Yaeri with a jolly voice.
"You were invited to participate in that play! THAT is definitely some thing I wish I'd seen" I respond and laugh.
"Yeah, picture this…" Yaeri says and jumps on the bench and continues "… I HAVE COME TO CLEANSE THIS LAND OF ALL…" an arrow passes Tittus and hits Yaeri in the shoulder, unbalancing her/him and makes him/her fall to the floor.
I jump up, draw my bow, nock an arrow on the string and search for the origin. People are starting to run in panic, Tittus shocked by the attack draws his rapier and yells in a loud voice "Everybody DOWN!"
A second arrow is loosed and cleaves the air right next to Tittus' head hitting a townsperson behind him. Now I see a tall black figure standing in the running crowd.
I do not hesitate to return fire. I hit the attacker in his arm; he throws his bow to the floor and walks in our direction.
Tittus, now seeking shelter in the moving crowd find his way to the stage. I hook and release a second arrow, the figure stumbles a moment as my arrow hits him in the leg. I can now see the figure very well as he is closing rapidly, clad in black armour with white paint on his face, making his head look more like a skull. No time to fire another arrow, so I draw my swords. Looking down to see the condition of Yaeri I find her lying under the table, not moving very much. He'll pay for this!
"Caela ie'lle !" I swing both swords in his direction when he jumps over the table. Right sword cleaving through his shoulder plates, left sword striking him in the side. He tries to slap me with his heavy gauntlet, the gauntlet hitting nothing but air, as I dodge the blow. Two sturdy men grab the attacker from behind.
"Never hit a lady!" says one of the men but gets bashed in the stomach from the black man's elbow. The other man lets go too. Seeing no other way to stop him I stab my short sword through his chest hearing bones crack, giving a last twist to the sword to make the kill final.
"Yaeri!" I cry as I crouch under the table retrieving the little body, motionless, breathless. Struck by a poisoned arrow, leaving the body cold.
"SOME BODY GET A HEALER!" I yell desperate, hands soaked in blood, spinning around looking at the chaos of people running. But no one seems to hear my call…
Finally a healer arrives but he refuses to help, considering the past of Yaeri. I bet if I could shake a large enough coin bag he would have reconsidered. Those city clerics are all the same. I walk with Yaeri in my arms to the stage where Tittus stands. By at the look on his face he's deeply grieved because he was very fond of the little one. I put the body gently down on the stage as Tittus wraps him/her in his cloak.
I wept…
A Last Resort
The Mayor comes and stands next to Tittus, removes his little Mayor's hat, puts his hand on his shoulder and says:
"It's not fair to see a hero go like this, and I'm sorry that the church refuses to help, but I think I can help…"
Tittus looks up surprised
"There is a tribe of Lion People, Wemix they are called" continues the Mayor, "and I think their Priestess may be able to help you, for a price that is…"
Meanwhile the other adventures joined us and saw their dead friend lying on the stage.
"Here take this scroll" says the Mayor, as he gives the scroll to Tittus, "look for the Priestess Alruaa and give her the scroll, I'll arrange transport, meet me at the city gates within 30 minutes."
So it was said, so it was done. When we arrived at the city gates the Mayor awaited us with 3 stalwart horses, one pulling a carriage. Heidegger and Wägtell – the two other guys, looking quite odd if you ask me – occupied the carriage with Yaeri's body. Tittus and I both rode a horse, leading the one pulling the wagon.
And so the company set off…
It's a day travel according to the Mayor's instructions, so after sunset the next day we arrive at the given location. Not much of a location of a tribe in my opinion, all we see are ruins of an old church or cathedral. Covered by mosses and grasses, surrounded by trees large enough to block most of the stars and moon light. We hold the horses.
"You think this is the place?" I ask Tittus who's holding a map drawn by the mayor.
"Not sure, but the map says so, we better take a look around" says Tittus face down at the map.
"We'll go look around" sound two voices from the carriage. Both Heidegger and Wägtell jump out now and start heading towards the ruins.
"I'd better stay here then" speaks Tittus with a short laugh.
"Alrighty, I'll stay here too then" I say, now descending from my horse and looking around to find some tracks of animals or other signs of life. But none can be found in this poor amount of light. It's awfully quiet for the woodland, just on occasion a wolf howl in the far distance.
"Hey, where are Heidegger and Wägtell?" I ask Tittus who seems to sit very relaxed on the back of his horse.
"Don't know, they went to take a look around" Tittus answers
"Well, I can't see them…" I reply a little bit worried, "I do think we should have a look for them… they might be in trouble"
At that moment a shout comes from the dark, "Hey, it's here, come along" I recognise the voice as Wägtell's. Tittus must have heard the shout too since he got off his horse and stood next to me.
"We better get our butts down there then" he says.
Both start walking towards the ruins and see Wägtell waving arms and pointing to an old staircase leading down into the floor.
"It's here" he shouts again, "the lion people, but they don't seem to be very happy to see us"
When we come down we see Heidegger standing there with 3 Lion Guards each pointing their spear at him. These Lion people look much like centaurs but instead of a horse body there's a Lion body beneath a human kind of torso. Very proud looking they are, the way they wield their spears. Fascinated by the way these marvellous creatures look I almost tripped over my own feet. The aura that emits from their exotically textured skin inspired feelings of respect. Truly I find it a shame that such creatures should have to live beneath the surface. Noticeable behind the 3 guards stands a female. Long hair hanging loose against her back coming from under a strange hat. A short shirt covers her upper torso and a belt is hanging at her hips, or should I say the shoulder blades of her front legs. Her very calming kitty like voice addresses us.
"May I ask what brings you to our home and territory?"
"Forgive us our rudeness" says Tittus in a humble way, "we are looking for Priestess Alruaa, for we are sent to see her…"
"That is I. But we are not very pleased with unknown visitors, especially not those who brings a Half-Orc"
"We are sent by the Mayor of Cimbar, for we have an urgent matter at hand." With this line Tittus hands over the scroll - which the Mayor had given him - to the female Wemix.
"Alright, I'll look at this scroll, but you all stay here for I still do not trust your half-orc companion."
Wägtell – our half-orc companion – acts offended by this but Tittus holds up his hand to indicate that he must not react.
"Tell me" Alruaa says after examining the scroll, "what is this urgent matter of which you speak?"
"My.. our friend…" I speak lifting a bit the little package holding Yaeri's body, "…has been hit by a poisoned arrow and died by it. The church didn't want to help, but the Mayor told us you might be able to resurrect her".
"And we're willing to pay you, of course" adds Tittus quick as lightning.
"Truly, we have no need for your money, though there might be a thing you could assist us with." Says the Priestess,
"Come in, but don't attract attention to yourself, again, people here are not so fond of strangers."
The Priestess Alruaa guides us through the underground village to her clay hut. The village seems to have ancient corridors at the centre, probably the old cellar of the formal church above. Some places have been closed with dried clay or other earth like materials. Next we pass into a cave like area, only this cave is dug and within huts are build against its wall. Alruaa tells us that this is the habitational area and also where her hut is. Right at the opposite site of the entrance of the giant hole.
"Besides people's private houses you'll find here some stores and a place to rest" Alruaa says waving her arm through the air in a presenting gesture. She leads us now to her hut. Once inside she offers a place sit and starts to speak.
"Well, now lets get down to business. There is a way you can help us and we would repay you with the resurrection of your friend."
We all nod in understanding.
"Our village is being terrorized by a group of Half-Orcs. A few weeks ago they breached our walls and started ravaging the whole place. The guards had to kill them all to stop them, unfortunately, so we never knew what they were after."
"So why haven't you sent a counter attack yet and checked out where they came from?" asks Tittus.
"That is just the point… we can't enter the hole because there seems to be some sort of ward on it preventing us from entering. We think a mage might be behind all this."
Wägtell jumps up then, "it must be a mage; I can't believe my kind would attack without any reason. We are not savages!"
"Since our friend here is a Half-Orc too he might be able to get past the ward." I say, "he can find out what the source is and perhaps solve this mystery"
"If you can stop the assaults I will gratefully resurrect your friend for you." Alruaa speaks with her soft voice, "now rest a bit. Tomorrow I'll show you the hole and its ward."
I hand over the body of Yaeri to Alruaa. She gently puts it on a table which is oddly designed but again fascinating in it's own way. We all went to sleep very fast for it had been a very long day.
Fog And Fungus
We wake up in the hut without the priestess' presence, but not for long. Alruaa comes in and greets us all with cups of tea and bread.
"Good morning. Had a good rest?"
Alruaa places the bread on a low table together with the tea. Still stiff from sleep, we pull our selves to the breakfast table. The bread contains a honey like flavour and feels good on the empty stomach.
"I hope you enjoy it" she says, "we Wemix like a sweet breakfast." We all nod in confirmation with the sweetness while taking big bites of the soft bread.
"Well, I will see you all in a couple hours" Alruaa says while she walks back out of the hut.
The breakfast and prepping took us less then an hour and Alruaa was very surprised to see us ready that soon. She's taking us now to the hole in the wall with the magical ward.
"Here it is, the hole from which they attacked" she makes a wide arm gesture and moves her hand towards the opening.
"As you can see, the ward prevents any of us passing" her hand makes contact with an invisible force, an invisible wall.
"We wonder if it's a ward preventing only our species to pass or everybody. But now you're here, we might find out soon."
"What are we waiting for…" Wägtell steps forward. We all watch very closely as he comes closer to the hole with its ward. His pace is hesitant and suddenly he tumbles forward almost losing his balance. He now stands underneath the arc of the hole. Clearly the ward let him through to the other side. One by one, the other 3 of us break through the ward to the other side. The hole now has become a tunnel, dug in dirt, with mud and moisture underneath our feet. I look back and see Alruaa watch with anticipation and hope for their village. Carefully we walk forward with our torches lit. The walls seem to hold some algae because they feel very slippery. As we move further we encounter a door. Rotten by fungus' it's very easily opened.
"Gimme a torch," said Titus, "lets see what is inside."
Heidegger hands over his torch and looks over Tittus' shoulder. A giant spider jumps at Tittus' neck the moment he puts his head through the door and stings him.
"Get that monster off me, help!" yells Tittus while waving the torch and trying to scorch the spider to death. But the spider dodges the torch. Angry she hisses and clings to Tittus' neck. No amount of shaking and waving will get her off, till Heidegger pokes his large sword in the back of her body. She flees back into the dark room, hiding in her webs. Tittus steps back to feel the ugly bite in his neck. Heidegger ready with the sword gazes into the darkness. Two lesser spiders comes crawling on, he manages to kill one but the second bit him in his leg. Irritated from the sting he pulverizes the spider with his boot.
"I need a doctor!" screams Tittus and runs back to the village in panic.
For a moment we all just stood there watching Tittus running through the hole, in full distress.
"Heidegger, stand over here and let me check that bite for you" I say, still amused by Tittus' clear over reaction to the bite of the spider. "Here you go, this will do…"
"Thx Neely, but I'm all right"
"Alrighty, as soon as Tittus is back we can move on." And there he came striding back, all patched up from the spider's bite.
"Hello, fellows, everything alright?"
We all looked at each other and then made a gentle nodding movement with our head.
"Good, then we can go on" and Tittus swung his rapier in a forward direction.
We encounter a staircase leading down into fog, making it hard to see where it could end up.
Chillness awaits us downstairs, unable to see the floor we move forward carefully. Heidegger bumps his foot to a strange object, now slightly rearranged by the impact. Curiosity strikes in us all for we all have the same thought, to check it out. But the fog makes it hard so we try the safe way by poking it with an arrow. Algae clings to the arrow if we pull back from the arrow.
"Anyone any idea what it could be?" Heidegger asks while showing the arrow to everybody, "It feels soft when I poke it."
"It's probably nothing, just a pile of dirt" Wägtell responds, "lets move on and do some damage!"
Something strange was in Wägtells voice, like the sound of lust for violence. As he moves on his pace is getting faster and his steps heavier. We decided to let him lead and follow his dark silhouette into the narrow corridors leading away from the staircase. He stops next to a door, even in the bad shape as she is he fails to break her in one blow. He tries again in a rage with the door's stubbornness.
"Lets see what's around that corner over there." I suggest. The corridor splits in two ways. Left leading to darkness and right leading to a door where light radiates from underneath the door.
"Hey…" speaks Tittus "…lets take right. I feel more easier with that"
"hmm, I will go listen to the door to see if something is inside" I say while moving silently to the door. The sound of a few half-orcs caught my attention. Three or four, not to mention those who could be silent. I head back to the others and bring report.
A burst of breaking wood resonates through the corridors and the hall further on. Wägtell seemed to have broken through the door. The door of the half-orcs swings open, no time to check on Wägtell. One of the half-orcs spotted us, grabs his sword and comes running towards us. I not planning on letting him getting to close. The arrow I shot penetrated his throat. Gasping and gargling he drops on the floor giving a few more spasms. His other companions must have heard the choke and comes leaping in armed and with anger. Heidegger, not having said anything yet and showing not much emotion to the situation fires an arrow in the first half-orc. He stumbles as he's hit in his leg. My second arrow is directed to the last half-orc coming our way. Lifting his great axe high I know his blow could instantly be a fatal one. A poison arrow would fit nicely on him I think. I aim my bow and release the arrow striking him in the spleen. He gives a loud cry but stumbles on forward still intended on chopping one of our heads off. Heidegger draws his sword and welcomes the first one. The second is nearing but he drops on his knees exhausted and vomits what must been his meal. He drops on his side and curls in a foetus like position, giving some spasms before blowing his final dying breath.
All our attention now suddenly was drawn at the broken door where Wägtell was at. Hearing a foul sound and seeing Wägtell on the floor. His torch lying on the moist soil illuminating the creature on top of him clawing at his armour.
"A ghoul!" I yell sending an arrow at the monstrosity. Hitting him, but not badly, I did draw his attention and away from Wägtells body. Heidegger still armed with his sword engages the monster, impaling it on his long sword, then ripping it out. What once was a ghoul is now no more.
"Neely…" Tittus, now clearly shocked by his companion lying on the floor "I hope he's not… dead?"
I haste myself towards Wägtell and check him.
"He's alive. But he's loosing a lot of blood. We need to get him to the village! His wounds are too serious for my skills."
A deep and low sound rumbles from the dark.
"Did you hear that?" I asks the others.
Heidegger looks up and nods his head.
The sound comes again, but louder this time. Tittus jumps up
"come on! Hurry! More are coming, let's get to town with Wägtell!". I ready my bow, put an arrow on the string and slowly move towards the dark corridor.
"Neely come!" Tittus yells.
"No, you two bring him to the village, I'll try to hold them off."
Another rumble comes from the door in the dark corridor.
"They are breaking through! Carry Wägtell to the village now!"
Heidegger together with Tittus lifts the heavy body on the count of three. Steady and slow they move towards the stairs.
Shrouded in shadow I await what ever may come though that door. My bow is raised.
A great bash sounds on the wooden reinforced door and the wooden barricade cracks once more. Half-orc screams come from the sealed room.
Splintered the barricade flies out of his holder. The door swings open to be jammed half way by debris on the floor.
A tall figure crash lands on his front on the floor. Just as I pulled my bowstring back a little gnome like figure jumps through the door. Panicking she presses her back to the wall across the corridor taking deep breaths. None of the two figures has seen me yet as I walk closer. A half-orc type leaps in armed with a great axe. Little time does it take for me to fire at the dark skinned shape, if it wasn't for him closing the door. I would have taken him as hostile and he would indeed have suffered my arrow. Clearly it seems he is with the 2 others, putting his weight against the door. I leave my shadowed position and walk towards them. All three of them seem to be surprised to see me in this forsaken cellar.
"You seem you could use a hand" I address them, putting my bow back at his holders.
"Yes, you can help us barricading this door again. There are over 15 hostile half-orcs out there, you don't want them to come in" the half-orc speaks poking his thumb in the air over his shoulder which was pressed against the door.
"Hmm, I think I know something that could help" and I run to the place where Wägtell had lain.
"Now where's that hammer of his" I ponder to myself. I shuffle through the wooden debris "aha, here it is"
Once back with the hammer I trust it through the metal holder that before hold the wooden bar. The half-orc and the human – who was the one who fell through the door first – are hammering some wood pieces underneath the door gap. The little blondish gnome is piling rocks and dirt.
"This will hold it for a while, come, I know I place where we could catch our breath. The room over there is most likely clear" I speak and gesture to the other end of the corridor where the door is open and the light is shining through. The room where the 3 half-orcs came from earlier.
I start running to the door, run into the room, hoping the rest would follow. I wait at the door till everybody is in and close it.
Friendly Faces
"Hiya! I am Pippa."
"Nice meeting you little one, I'm Neely."
"Nice meeting you too. I haven't seen many elves around here yet."
"That's right, we mostly stay hidden in our forests. We avoid the large crowded cities. You must be a gnome, right?"
"Yes I am, I love adventuring!"
"Ow is that so? I had been wondering what one such as you is doing around these parts."
"Hihi! Do you like to adventure?"
"Hmm yeah, I guess I do."
"Why are you here?"
"Hehe, aren't you a curious one, are you? Well It's a long story… but it concerns a little friend of me -"
"Little? Like me? This is exciting!"
"Well not exactly, my little friend is a Halfling and -"
I got interrupted by a knock at the door. The party is catching their breath at the room they ran into. Liflaf – the one who seem to be the half-orc – carefully goes to the door with a sword readied and opens it.
"What a tension! What an excitement! This is something to tell stories about!" are the words of the aristocratic dressed figure at the other side of the door.
"Tittus…" I spoke softly.
The man in the corner – going by the name Alonso – stretches him self from the chest he was investigating.
"Who t' hell be this … this … dressed up circus monkey?"
Tittus looks shocked by the man's comment
"If you're referring to my dressings then I can assure you it's better then those rags you're wearing… you … you pirate!"
"Aye! Pirate I am. Capt'n Alonso Ernesto Salvatore. Unfortunately a capt'n without a ship at this very moment."
"Tittus!" I address the man "How's Wägtell?"
"He's at the Wemix village, recovering…" Tittus replies "…he almost didn't make it. Heidegger decided to stay with him."
I feel a relief in me when I heard those words that Wägtell made it. However words fail me at the moment and I can only give Tittus my expression of compassion.
"Cursed!" resonates through the room "Ye bloody chest!"
Alonso throws frustrated the Masterwork Thieving Tools he borrowed from Pippa on the floor "Why won't ye go open, arrgg! Okay… half t' treasure be for t' one who can open it. T' other half, o' course, be for me, hahaha…"
"How about smashing it? Everything breaks if u smash it hard enough, hehe" Liflaf's half-orcish voice sounds.
"How about finding the key? Did anyone check those 3 dead half-orcs outside for a key?" I say shaking my head slightly.
"Hmm, good point me lass!" Alonso says and left the room to check the corpses.
A bit later he returns carrying some stuff which is most likely the equipment of those dead half-orcs
"Agh, no keys t' be found. Might as well take these fine javelins and we'll pawn some o' these other thin's."
"Lets check the other room, there is still this door here." Liflaf points at the wooden door at the back of the room.
The group moves to that one door and questions what could be on the other side.
"I think I hear snoring" Pippa whispers.
Liflaf opens the door and puts his head inside. Looks around and informs everybody of three sleeping half-orcs.
"I suggest we take their weapons and armour before they wake up and have a chance to attack us."
"That's not a bad idea Liflaf" says Pippa, "we should interrogate them afterwards and see what information we can get out of them"
"Interrogate like putting my axe on their throat? Yeah I can do that." Liflaf grins.
Liflaf enters the room, then I and Alonso follow. Liflaf, with his big and heavy feet, less silently then the rest, but none woke any of the sleeping beauties.
When all the gear was carried out we go stand next to the bed of one of the snoring half-orcs. Liflaf puts his giant hand on the mouth of the half-orc and shakes him awake. The half-orc wakes in full surprise unable to say much.
"Scream and I'll break your neck!" whispers Liflaf. He loosens his hand around the mouth of the half-orc so he could at least answer the questions which Pippa is ready to ask.
"How many others are they?"
The half-orc tries to turn his head and glimpse at the weapon rack which of course no longer hold any weapons. He shrugs to Pippa's question. Pippa presses her sickle to his throat.
"Who do you work for?"
"The goblin"
"Who's the goblin?"
"He's the one who's paying us…"
"Paying you for what?"
"For doing his biddings"
"Hmm…" thinks Pippa, "…a bunch of half-orcs working for a goblin? Most odd."
"And what might his bidding be?" she asks.
"We're assigned to guard these corridors" The orc sighs. Pippa turns her face as I step closer.
"We should tie em up and hand them over to the wemix village" I said.
"Oh come on, let me chop their head off, less trouble in that." Liflaf replies with that evil grin on his face again.
"No, you can not do that! It should be up to the wemix what their fate should be."
The one half-orc is starting to work against Liflaf's hold. Clearly he doesn't want to have either way. A fist from Liflaf is what he gets, and it knocks him out of consciousness too.
Liflaf walks the first one out while Alonso and me tie the other two who woke the moment the cords are lashed down tightly. Alonso notices one was wearing a key and snatches it from around his neck.
"Lets see if this baby fits on t' chest. Hold this one too, Liflaf" meaning the half-orc he was pushing.
That one half-orc Alonso held takes his chance on running away, or should I say jumping? Liflaf with his free hand grabs a chair and throws it to the escaping prisoner.
"Ow Yeah!" yells Liflaf when the half-orc was tripped by the chair and hits the ground hard.
Alonso tries the key, it fits and he opens the chest fast. Grabs the stuff inside and puts it in his backpack.
"We'll check in town what t' booty is" Alonso takes back his prisoner and pushes him forward.
In a single file we walk the three to the wemix village.
Cellar Secrets
One of the arms of the cellar was still left unexplored so we all agreed to check it as soon as we come back from town. The wemix guards placed the three half-orc into custody, we sold some parts of the loot and the other part was kept which included some gold coins, three gems and a masterwork bastard sword which is now being used by Liflaf.
"Hold on lads" Alonso says raising his hand a bit "I see somethin' layin' over thar in that corner." He points to a small pile of debris looking stuff. It is hard to distinguish due to the fog that is still hanging low to the floor. Liflaf walks over to the spot of the debris. We all draw a little closer to see what it is as Liflaf lifts the pile. It seems to be a rotten chest.
CLICK! Something snaps inside the box. Liflaf drops the chest immediately realising it was a trap. The box hits floor and splinters on impact. From underneath the wooden pieces a yellow like smoke rises fast. I dodge and jump backwards but it seems I'm the only one who reacted in time because the others are coughing and seem to have a minor irritation on their bronchial tubes. Fortunately the yellow like smoke fades fast so no real damage is done.
"Hell, it seems somethin' was overdue..." Alonso says with comical relief waving his hand through the air "A barrel full of rotten eggs wouldn't be as bad! Pfewy."
We turn left and enter the long dark corridor. Full of dust and unlike the other corridors no sign of life. The corridor merges with an empty room. All empty except for some piles of bones and three very old tapestries on each side of the room. Even with the dim light of the torch my eyes spot a dark alcove behind the tapestry on the wall across the corridor we came from.
"Hey, guys! Look over here." and I remove the old rag from it's hangings.
What first looked like an alcove now reveals itself as a dark tunnel. Square masonry, however standing about 3 feet from the floor level.
"I wonder what could be on the other side" I rather speak to myself in an audible voice than clear for all to hear.
"Put the gnome inside then we'll know soon." rumbles Liflaf's heavy voice from behind me.
"Hey!" protests Pippa "I'm not going in there by myself. It's not in a gnome's nature to crawl into dark spaces."
"No, you all crawl in badger holes, hehe"
"I'll go with you, little one" and I offer Pippa a step up.
Pippa swallows, tightens her belt and crawls up into the passage. I jump on it next, and suddenly notice the sealing is now nothing more then a few inches above my head. Pippa, carrying the torch, goes on step by step.
The passage made a soft turn and merges with another room. Pippa gives a shriek!
"Those things are moving!" she points to 3 dark shapes moving at a slow pace towards us, more like dragging themselves I would even say. Pippa drops her torch and grabs her sling. Sling a bullet at the nearest shape but hit only the ceiling.
"Zombies, more of those living dead, arg" I mumble to myself. I release an arrow, hitting one in it's chest. My arrow falls on the floor as a piece of the zombie utterly vaporised. They seem extremely dried out, I wonder how long they have been here already.
One is now within arm reach of Pippa. The little gnome grabs her sickle and wants to take a swing with it but the zombie places his bony claws into her flesh. Cloth rips as his claws are driven deep into her chest and belly. She gives a big scream and drops backwards. Liflaf leaps over her and pushes me aside and bashes the monster back with his wooden shield. I drag Pippa back to the other room where I have her wounds examined. Besides the wounds she seem to suffer from a broken rib. I tell her to take it easy now.
The sound of swordcleaving and shieldbashing is echoing through the passage.
"We got a fat one here!" Liflaf yells down the the passage. Alonso decides to go help but just as he arrives Liflaf chops a big chunk from the fat zombie and it falls motionless on the floor.
"Bleh, you could at least have saved some for me…" Alonso says and kicks one of the zombie pieces.
We all gather in the new room and find in the back some more zombie like shapes but they are hardly doing anything. One is standing there, staring into the void, and two others are lying there gaping at the ceiling. They must be already too decayed to actually do anything.
"Careful lads…" Alonso warns us.
Liflaf walks over to the one standing and gives it a little push over. Like a tower of play cards it collapses. Alonso and I finish the ones on the floor. Even defenceless as they are we want to secure they were dead and demobilised. We don't like taking risks even on the seemingly improbable.
The back wall of the room contains a rusty metal door. Though any efforts to move it prove to be in vain. It seems the door is locked or jammed. We all look around in the room and find besides the remains of the ex-walking dead only more dust and dirt. Nothing new, just like the previous room. But suddenly my eye catches a glimpse of a somewhat bizarre phenomena. The wall at my right side seems to have at a certain point some fluctuation in it, much like the turbulence air has when heated. However closer inspection proves that no heated air is present or any other object that could cause this. Just the wall with its stoniness. I decide to move my hand to the fluctuating surface. Curiosity kills the cat they say. Not this time. At the point where my hand should touch cold stone it did not but went effortlessly through it. I pull my hand back, clearly surprised by the illusion. I call the rest to me.
"Aye, this be most certainly some sort o' secret door!" Alonso looks at it from all different angles but he's not so eager to touch it.
I gather if there would be something hostile at the other side it would have attacked us by now. So I decide to take the first step into the unknown. From the other side the wall seems semi transparent. I can see as well as Pippa as Alonso as Liflaf as if no stone is present, only a filter that blurs the scene somewhat. When I tell them to come along they carefully step through the illusion like they still are not sure if it's safe to do so.
The secret passage is as wide as two persons standing next to each other and goes on a long way containing no light source or what so ever. Pippa holds the torch again, holding it in front of her so she can illuminate the path well. She walks next to my side mostly because I'd like to keep on eye on those wounds of her. I've checked it for infections and all was ok, but you never know.
The narrow passage turns a bit right and reveals two statues placed into an alcove in the wall. Or at least one. The nearest statue had completely been rendered to pieces which are spread all over the floor. The second one is more intact. Displaying a hooded monk at man-sized who holds his index finger to his lips making the expression of being silent.
"Most intriguing!" Pippa says in amazement with the statues who stand twice her size. She starts looking at them carefully.
"There must be more to it" she questions her self "two statues in a secret passage MUST have a meaning"
"Not often be secrets kept unarmed…" comes the warning voice of Alonso. He carefully inspects the broken statue as if looking for possible traps and/or hidden levers.
"These give me the creeps" says Pippa looking up at the statue.
"I think there are just two statues, nothing more, nothing less." I try reassuring Pippa. "Let me have a look at it."
I search the two statues and found nothing noticeable. Even Alonso – who has a far better eye for such things – didn't find anything remarkable. Pippa sighs and moves forwards as I'm giving her a little set at her back, still anxiously looking over her shoulder.
The secret passage goes on again for quiet some lengths. Turning right again and leading to a dead end.
"This is most odd" I say and walk ahead of the rest to the wall in the dark end. I slide my fingers over the wall and find a small trigger mechanism inside a stone niche. The wall starts sinking into a gap in the floor and another corridor reveals itself.
The others come stand behind me.
"Somehow those walls seem familiar t' me" Alonso says.
"Hmm, yes, they do…" I reply, "but then again all these walls look all the same. All dirty and old"
"Hey" Pippa says "this is the corridor we came from earlier! The one that leads to the room with the tapestries and back to the village. Remember?"
I nod.
We walk down that that corridor back to the small hall in which the staircase ends.
"I hope we won't see more of the those walking dead..." I say with a shiver in my voice. Just thinking of it makes my hair stand straight.
"Hmm I remember there was a door not far from where I found you guys." I say "I think we should check it out?"
"And run into more orcs? I dunno, lass." Alonso answers.
"Well I still have a friend to ressurect so I'm going that way. Besides there might be a big treasure out there."
"Aye, if ye put it that way..."
"And I want to find out about that goblin!" Pippa jumps excited.
I smile.
The Goblin
After a salvo of arrows the second part of the trap was initiated; the alarm. The device screams on top of the mechanic lungs and must have summoned half the force of this establishment.
"Fuckin' Hell!" Alonso yells still lying flat on his stomach from dodging the arrows.
"Alonso, Pippa, hurry back!" I yell back. I'm still standing at the doorway. The door we went to check in the dark corridor. That door that lead to this great hall which was wired liked a fine spun web ready to catch anything careless enough.
We wait in the cover of darkness at the piled rocks in front of the barricaded door. Four half-orcs came looking, two armed with axes, the two others with javelins.
I silently arm my bow with a poison arrow and aim at the closest half-orc. The arrow flies above the half-orcs head.
"Damn, what a waste" I think.
The half-orcs now being noticed of our presence come running in. One of the half-orc throws a javelin, and hits Alonso in the upper leg
"Argh! Cursed!" he screams "ye gonna pay for wreckin' these fine pants!"
Some sore and bruised flesh was showing through his pants but it didn't seem all too bad. He picked up the javelin and threw it back at his aggressor penetrating his armour. From behind Alonso flies an arrow, launched by Liflaf, finishing of the wounded half-orc. In the meanwhile Pippa raises her hand and points forward with her index finger. Her lips speak an arcane word and a bright flash emerges from thin air in front of the half-orcs. They blink their eyes and stagger a bit but continue running. I shoot another poison arrow at one of the javelin wielding half-orcs. He didn't take the hit well. One of the half-orcs with the axe throws him self on our pirate friend, knocking him back. Alonso tries to keep his balance but had to be embraced by Liflaf or fall on the floor. Pippa's lips again speak a strange word, the orc that blew Alonso back seems to stand there a moment looking dazzled. This gave me the time to switch my bow for my two swords. Meanwhile the poisoned orc falls flat on his back and hits the ground hard. Makes some spasms and remains motionless. I leap at the dazzled half-orc and thrust both my swords in his body. He collapses to his knees and gives a loud moan. The last half-orc jumps over his friend's dead body taking a swing with his axe. I try to dodge but I have to take the blow. The axe comes hard slashing my leathers low at my body and maiming my leg on its way down. Muscle tissue tears in my right upper leg. All my gear is slowly starting to feel heavier and heavier. I slowly collapse under the weight of it watching how the half-orc raises his axe for the finishing blow. Pippa screams! She runs to the half-orc with her sickle, in full rage, she as good as literally rips his guts out.
"UNDER KURV!" the half-orc releases a terrible cry. Looking at our little gnome and then to his stomach. He drops his axe and presses his stomach in panic trying to close the gaping wound. But the lethal damage had been done. Bleeding like a stuck pig he falls upon his friend. His dark blood colours the floor underneath them.
"Neely, are you okay?" Pippa comes bending over me full of concern.
"Hey… little one" I try to smile "I wouldn't want to be your enemy."
"I might be little but I should not be underestimated!"
"Very true… very true?"
I'm sitting with my back against the cold wall. I grab for my bag and fish for a little flask. Pain is surging through my leg with tides of agony. I find the small flask somewhere between all the rest and grab it. Once out I remove the bottle stop and drip a few drops of the light bluish fluid inside in the wound. It stings at first then to be followed by itching. The bleeding has stopped immediately and the wound fills itself with a transparent substance, closing the wound as if new transparent skin was covering it.
Alonso now helps me a hand when I try to get up again. I do still feel pain, but bearable like reminding me of it not to do anything foolish. He hands me my swords and I put them away carefully.
"Thank you" I say to him.
"Most welcome, me lass"
We enter the hall again, the one with the trap that had set of earlier. To our left is a door, a newly constructed wooden door reinforced with metal. It even has a build-in lock and locked it is. We carefully walk on to the centre. There is a large sword painted over there in an even larger circle. The walls contain many … like statues each of them supporting the roof of the hall.
"Has anyone checked if that sword could be pointing to something in particular?" Liflaf addresses the group.
We shrug at Liflaf's question.
"I think it doesn't do anything" Alonso says.
"but what if…" Pippa starts.
"Don't get Pippa started" Alonso presses on, looking at Liflaf.
"Okay okay" Liflaf shrugs back and starts walking further together with Alonso. Pippa looks at me with that semi troubled semi curious 'what-if' look which she now and then wears. I begin to walk forward following the rest and invite Pippa to walk at my side.
At the back of the halls begins a well illuminated corridor which after a few paces splits in two ways. The right side merges with a small room which doesn't hold anything but a staircase leading down. The left side leads to another room.
"Let me go check what's inside" I say and I move silently towards the corner and peak inside. A goblin is sitting at a desk with his back towards me. He seems to be writing something in a book. I signal the rest to come but I press on being silent. Liflaf comes in the room with his noisy self and his great axe.
"Knock! knock!" he rumbles.
The goblin jumps up in surprise! He grabs his mace and comes storming towards us. I fire a warning shot close to him but he does not stop his charge. Instead he swings his mace at me but I jump back dodging the blow easily. He doesn't seem to be a high skilled fighter, more like a rookie trying to look more dangerous with that mace. I didn't think he had the time to realise he missed since Liflaf swung his axe and decapitated him in a single blow. Just as Pippa came running in.
"Noo!" she screams "Why! Damn it! What is it with you and chopping off heads! Argh"
Pippa clearly seems angry with it.
"Now we'll never know who he works for and what his orders were!" she continues. Alonso comes checking the scene and all the rattle.
"Aye, pity, and I had liked t' know if thar was a big treasure here."
With Pippa's reaction I'm starting to feel a bit guilty, guilty perhaps for not straying Liflaf's hands. Like that would be possible, but I could at least not have fired that one shot. Or perhaps just disarm myself? It might not have provoked things. Or was it inevitable? I really feel uneasy now, and I wish I could express it somehow. Already too much blood is getting spilled.
Pippa checks the desk for anything that could contain any information about "the job" and who is giving it. She picks up the book the goblin was writing in.
"Good thing I can speak Goblin." she says sharp, looking with one eye to Liflaf, "Lets hope I can find some information in this book before Liflaf decides to chop it to pieces!"
According to Pippa it seems to be some sort of diary or journal in which the goblin wrote his objectives and accomplishments. The journal speaks of "him" as the one giving the assignments but no names. Neither is there presence of any clear description why the band of half-orcs are to be guarding these old corridors or why they had to attack the Wemix village. Just some do's and dones.
"I'll take the journal with me" I say to Pippa, "the Priestess Alruaa might want to look into this or something".
"Okay" Pippa replies, and hands over the book.
Alonso is checking some closets for goodies.
"Ey lads, check this out!" Alonso takes from the closet nine small glass tubes with nine different colours of substance in it.
"Oh! Looks like paint!" Pippa runs over to Alonso, "can I see it?"
"Sure, me little lass!" and juggles them all in Pippa's direction. Pippa grabbles fast to not drop any of the tubes on the floor and studies them carefully.
"I wonder what it would do." Pippa says "Do you think it's some magical paint?"
"I wouldn't know" I say to Pippa "Why don't you try it?"
"I'll try it later" and she puts the nine tubes in her backpack.
"Argh… no treasure here either." Alonso mumbles when having checked the last spot of the room. We all gather and decide to move on.
"Hiya friends!" sounds an all too familiar voice "what's new?"
Tittus suddenly stands there, clearly hoping to get a share in what ever we would have found.
"Well… hello there… Tittus" I greet him "Honest I didn't expect you back…"
"Hey, you all need a qualified leader, don't you" he says in wide gestures. We all stare at him in just plain astonishment.
"How can one have such an ego" I wonder to myself. Tittus walks towards the dead goblin's body.
"This might be handy…" he says and picks up a key holder with several keys on it from the goblins belt.
"Hey, one of those keys might fit on the lock of that other door." I say with surprise. "Lets go check it." And we go back to the reinforced door in that previous hall.
"Make way! Make way!" Tittus commands and steps to the door, "Key holder coming through." He tries to fit all the keys in the look and finds one that fits very well. Well enough to unlock the door. We can all hear the lock mechanics flip at the twisting of the key. But something bigger starts to slide now, and rasp against stone. The sound of moving stone fills the silence of the hall, coming from somewhere above the door.
"Look out Tittus!" I yell the moment a part of the sealing above the door drops down. Tittus tries to look for cover but was too slow in reaction. He could just in time raise his arms to protect his head as the flat stone hit him. The stone tumbles further and hits the floor leaving Tittus with bruised arms and hands and a slight dizziness in the head.
"Friends…" he says as he turns towards us, "I think … I … I think I need to sit down for a while"
Tittus walks a bit further and leans to the wall looking a bit pale in the face.
"Tittus, perhaps you should go to the village and have yourself checked." I advise him.
"No, thank you, I'm okay… I'll just stay here for a moment"
I open the wooden door very carefully, ready to dodge any more traps that might set of. But all was quiet. I step inside…
"INTRUDER!"
I jump up almost having a heart attack.
"INTRUDER!" it sounds again.
There is a full metal armour like thing floating in the air, very ghost like, but not undead by my knowledge. I run back outside…
"INTRUDER!" once more the armour resonates from the room.
"There's something in there" I tell the others. We all had readied our weapons waiting for it to come outside and smack it on the head, or should I say helm. But the thing didn't follow… it went quiet again and stayed in the room.
"Lets me see what it is!" and this time Liflaf enters the room.
"INTRUDER!" the thing screams again.
I follow Liflaf, back inside with my senses on sharp for any aggressive movement from the thing. Yet it remains stationed as some dull piece of furniture would. Still screaming the same word over and over.
"Lets poke it hard! With a stick!" Liflaf's smartest half of his brain clearly took control again.
"I think it doesn't do anything more than just … that." I say. Pippa now enters the room.
"INTRUDER!"
"Well yes, I am…" Pippa laughs and walks further taunting the thing. Yet it does nothing.
"What are you?" she asks the thing.
"INTRUDER!"
"Ow really? That's interesting."
"INTRUDER!"
"But unfortunately I can't stay to chat right now, if you will excuse me" Pippa bows and giggles at the stupidity of the thing.
"INTRUDER!" it says once more.
We're all in the room now, searching the place for goodies or important stuff and completely ignoring the thing. The room seems rather to be a storage room for maintenance stuff than a room used to keep valuable things.
"Lets get movin', thar ain't anythin' here but that stupid thin' over thar" Alonso says.
We all leave the room.
"Bye Mister Broken Thing." Pippa waves goodbye to it.
"INTRUDER!"
Carlson's Box
We were near the room with the stairs leading down as we see three half-orc guards coming around the corner.
"Hey! You don't belong here!" grunts one of them.
Liflaf and Alonso jump in on them and make short work of them.
"Guys...?" Pippa slaps her forhead and rolls her eyes.
"Dead men tell no tales." Alonso smiles at her and puts his swords back in their sheds. He checks the dead half-orcs just before we leave down the stairs but finds nothing. I can see him roll his eyes. We walk down.
The stairs give out in a wide corridor. The left side immediately merges with a large room holding all banks and tables. The right side leads on to a caved in end and also splitting right again just before the dead end.
We all choose to turn left, all but Alonso. We enter the large room which seems most likely as a dining hall. The room feels quiet warm. Torches on the wall illuminate the walls and it's tapestries. Unlike the floor above. The tapestries are blood red and display a black painted orc fist on it. The benches are all dark wood same as the tables holding some dirty metal plates, mugs and empty bottles. There is no one in the room, except for this half-orc sleeping with his head on the table at the furthest side of the room. He seem to be in a very deep sleep for he doesn't wake with our presence.
"Good chance he drank himself knock out." I tell the rest.
"Then he won't feel a thing when I chop his head of!" Liflaf's brutal approach seems to get the upper hand quiet most of time, to put it softly.
"Liflaf, there will be no chopping heads of. He too should be handed over to the Wemix."
Liflaf grumbles at my decision and walks on to the room sharing a wall with the dinning hall. Pippa and I are left alone. Pippa sits down for a moment on a bench across the table with the drunken half-orc. I'm walking over and squat down in front of her.
"Hey…" I address her, "how's your wound?"
Pippa brings her hand to her ribs and belly and tries to suppress any expression of pain.
"It's going… okay, I think"
I throw a quizzical look at her.
"You don't have to act so tough before me" I smile "you're not a half-orc."
"Psstt lads" a voice comes from behind me, and with a familiar accent.
Alonso stands near the corner of the dining hall waving hands like signalling us. He points to the corridor behind him, the one with the stairs.
"Guards…" he tries to yell and whisper at the same time. And making very odd gestures now. I draw my bow and go stand next to him. Pippa getting nervous runs into the room Liflaf went into and comes out with him only a second after. We slowly walk on to the point where the corridor split to the right.
"Over there" Alonso speaks almost mute poking his thumb in the air.
Liflaf walks on towards the caved in end. Alonso quickly follows him and takes a look at the boulders and debris. I slowly move away from the corner to the centre of the merging corridors. I'm facing the other corridor which has a double wooden door at the end. Guarded by an obscure looking human and a robed gnome. The human puts on a grin and is toying with a dagger. His eyes are scanning me from head to toe. Seeing him watching me like that makes me feel disgusted.
"Neely!" Pippa whispers to me now she came stand next to me, "a gnome!"
"Yes, I see, but I doubt he has good intentions."
Pippa looks amazed to see one of her kind yet hurt by the fact he's on the bad guy's side.
"We're not gonna kill him, are we?"
I look with a depressed face to her and answer her with silence.
Alonso and Liflaf come stand next to us too. We all four look at the two guards. Liflaf tries to intimidate them by clenching his sword and stare them right in the eye. But both the human and gnome stood their ground each at a door hinge. Liflaf gives up, he decides to move towards them.
"Let us through!" he demands the guards.
"haha, and do you have an invitation?" the human laughs at our half-orc friend. The little wizard like gnome chuckles at his companions response.
However Liflaf did not take that well. He walks on to the door and kicks it open. Both doors swing open and hit the side walls loudly. The human jabs his dagger in Liflaf's back making Liflaf roar a raging cry. He swings his sword towards the human but the human dodge it easily. The gnome mage throws back his cape freeing his hands and starts speaking arcane words. Liflaf does not leave him a chance on finishing his last word. He bashes the gnome in the face with his shield, turns and slashes him diagonally.
"Noooooo!" cries Pippa and watches the gnome guard drop dead on the floor.
"I won't go that easy, chap!" says the human guard full with anger! And grabs his short sword shed at his belt.
Like lightning I arm my bow with an arrow and fires it at the human before he could finish his action. The arrow penetrates his hand and nails it to his torso. He curses loud but meets his end as soon as Liflaf cleaves his sword through his body. He falls back to the wall and tries to hold on to it but slides down leaving a red trail of blood.
Pippa stands petrified, gaping at the dead gnome as if the spell did had it effect.
"Hey little one…" I hold her at her shoulders, "…we can not forget he was not doing it for the cause of good."
Pippa looks at me with her wide pink gnome eyes.
"It's a lot easier to shoot a walking corps." I continue, "A lot easier then a person. And I far from agree with Liflaf's way of handling things. You see, Pippa, not everybody sees moral in the things they do, yet alone see other options then killing. I fear your half-orc friends might be such one."
"But he was a gnome… like me." her voice falters, and she turns away.
Closing my eyes I can feel her pain, her disbelieve in any evil intention of the gnome. I try to forget or deny these events, I know I want my friend back alive and I know what I have to do.
"Anyone want this short bow? Neely, how about you?"
On hearing my name I wake from my thoughts and notice Alonso is looting the bodies of the two dead guards.
"Nah I'm fine with the one I have" I reply to Alonso.
"I think it's magical, it has a set of runes on it…"
"No thank you…"
"Okay, I take you don't want these rings either? This one has t' initials G.B. on it."
I shake my head.
Alonso fishes two scrolls out of the dead gnome's pocket.
"Avast! This be somethin' for me dear Pippa!"
He looks up and sees our sad gnome standing silently. With his hand extended containing the scrolls he walks towards her.
"Here lassie, they do ye more good then me."
I walk on to see what's ahead behind the doors. Liflaf is already ahead further down the corridor clearly waiting for us with impatience. The hallway has another double wooden door at the end and just before that it makes a turn to the left.
As soon as I reach the point where Liflaf stands I check if Alonso and Pippa are following. They were and a moment later we all together turn left. It immediately opens into a room. The room, as well as the hallway we're standing in, is very rich fully decorated with newly placed stuff. But then a very misplaced thing caught our eye.
The sight to see an infant orc sitting there in the corner on a blanket amazes us all. The little toddler isn't much more then 1 years old, dark of skin and with big black eyes.
And is looking sad and disorientated by seeing us four enter the room. The room hasn't much in it but a small bed, a closet and a chest. We walk past the infant and open a door that leads to a room that most likely is a prison because of the grids and door that separates the room in half. That room on his turn leads to another room on it's east side, a room that is utterly empty. Though a ray of light did catch our attention. The light is cast from a crack in the wall and has a warm hue. One by one we take a peak through it but sight was limited. Two dogs are sitting at the door and a dark robed mage figure seems to be talking to someone off screen. The mage was bald on the cranium but thin black hair on the edge of greying hangs from the side of his skull.
"We could use the crack as fire hole!" Pippa jumps up.
"I would have a very limited range through this" I say, "I don't think I'll hit much."
"Though I still think we should use this spot to our advantage" Pippa insists.
"Yes, but there is no use to it when they're all out of sight.
"Hmmm" Pippa ponders
"Besides, there is this second person and – "
"Hey..." Pippa interrupts, "Liflaf? Alonso?"
We both notice that the duo is gone. The same moment we hear two doors swing open in the room sharing the wall with the crack. I jump up peer through to the crack to see what's going on.
"Noo!" I yell as soon as I see Liflaf raise his sword above one of the dogs.
"Don't kill the dogs!" I start running towards that door where our half-orc just had burst through. Running through the prison room, past the toddler, I come too late to see the first dog lie dead
"Now I've had enough of this brute!" I hear myself think.
Liflaf and Alonso are working their way now through 3 muddy heaps of molten flesh. Hideous pink and red and white like a butchered cow turned inside out. All three slam their lobes of flesh towards our half-orc and our friend the pirate.
"Hahahaha" the mage laughs madly as he sees his three
summoned abominations are terminated and vaporise like dust for the wind. His eyes are marked with extravasations of blood.
"you can't kill me! My master promised me eternal life!"
He moves to the right wall of the room where he unshed his sword and readies himself like a boxer in the arena. Both Liflaf and Alonso jump in on him in full thrust with weapons forwarded. I run to the upper wall and take an aim at the wizard who's fending off the incoming blows. I pull the string of my longbow back making sure of my target and let loose. The arrows speeds itself towards the villain but is stopped midair a few inches away from his face and falls down on the floor.
"Hmm…" I think to myself, "he must have cast some protection from projectiles." And I draw my two swords. Though the mage had noticed my attempt on striking him between the eyes. He smiles vile at me and makes a small hand gesture, first meaningless but soon reddish sparks emit from his fingers and fuses together to three projectiles. On command he launches them away towards me. At high speed they hit me with incredible magical force. Sweeping me of my feet and knocking me back against the desk which stood less far behind me then I recalled. I didn't know if I heard the cracking of wood or the cracking of my bones. But what I was sure of was the fact of me being injured badly. Tremendous pain surges are flowing through my entire body. Much like being beat up by a mob of twenty robbers or overrun by horses. Not that I have ever felt such incident but I could imagine it must feel like this.
I try to roll over and grabble to my bag which still held some healing potions. I open the flask closest at my reach – the one that I had opened earlier – and quaff it at once. Praise the one who ever came with the idea of putting magical healing powers in a little flask. Like sweet zephyr winds I feel the pain drain away. One would get addicted to it.
I get up, pick up my two swords which were seemingly tossed away a bit further. Liflaf and Alonso already seem to have dealt some good blows to the mage the period of my mental absence from the action.
"STOP IT!" comes the voice of a small gnome girl, Pippa no doubt. No one seem to hear her voice. And surprisingly she was holding the baby-orc from next-room's.
"STOP IT!' she screams on top of her lungs. And holds her sickle at the throat of the infant who was crying very loud now. Chaos was havocking! The mage, fighting for his life cornered by Liflaf and Alonso, probably by now knowing his master's promise was nothing more than a foul and empty whisper. And then Pippa screaming and shouting to end this madness. I could only watch, stunned by overwhelming feelings.
The wizard stumbles and falls to the floor. His final breath clearly came out together with Liflaf's final stroke. Or was it Alonso's? Both seem to argue now who dealt the killing blow. Why am I not surprised?
Pippa places the toddler on the floor, not really knowing what to do or what to say. I look at her, at the orc toddler, at Liflaf and Alonso, the dead mage, and then notice one of the dogs is alive and laying in his cage, tired, probably near dead. I walk over to the poor animal, frightened as he was he didn't seem to trust any nearing person. Me including. I can't blame him so I decide to leave him be.
"Hey! This is a funny looking box!" Pippa chirps surprised, and puts the box – which looks not much bigger then an oversized pen case – in her backpack.
They are looting whatever there is to loot. But I can no longer wait to have my dear friend Yaeri alive again, and I leave for the village. That's what matter most to me now.
Resurrection
Priestess Alruaa was deep in her thoughts when I softly enter her residence. I stand silently at her doorstep hoping she would recognise me soon. She opens her eyes and opens her hands to me.
"My child… please, come in."
I bow my head slightly as I approach her. She was sitting on pillows on the floor next to a low table. The same table we had breakfast on. She offers me to sit down on her colourful collection of cushions. I gladly accept it.
"My god…" she says shaking her head slightly, "…you look like you had some trouble! And who is this?"
I look at the little dark skinned orc sitting on my arm.
"She's…" I hesitate, "she's an orc baby. We found her in a room all the way downstairs."
The little one had finally come to peace after the whole scene she got involuntary involved in with the wizard.
"I don't know what she was doing down there, but I truly felt she didn't belong there." I continue, "… I hope I can find a good home for her."
"You must know I can't offer her that home. This village is just not a place for an orc."
"I understand." I nod and let a moment of silence fill the room.
"So…" Alruaa decides to break the silence, "I take you didn't come to me just for the little orc?"
I smile at the Priestess and grab my bag.
"I bring good news." I speak gently and offer her a book. It was the journal of the goblin.
"Hmm, interesting!" she says and takes it from my hands "I'll have to study that later today."
Out of my bag I take another artefact. A massive glass orb welded on a solid foot, and embedded in a web of curving silver.
"When you look carefully you can see the warded passage of your village." I almost whisper it when staring into the orb again. The Priestess extends her hand in order to receive the orb.
"Later on I shall take it to the guards and see what to do with it." She says, "If we're fortunate enough it might break the spell in some way."
I nod and hand over the artefact. A feeling of being exhausted starts to take a big toll when I all of a sudden remember the exotic objects we found in the wizards room.
I quickly grab them and show them to the Priestess.
"We also found this." putting them on a pillow next to each other. They were a bunch of stuff that at first sight didn't seem all too important. However one of them was an amulet looking quite extraordinary.
"Well dear!" I could see the surprised look on Alruaa's face, "I wouldn't have dared to dream on having these back. They got stolen from me some time ago, you see."
She picks them up gentle and holds them like a treasure.
"I give you my deepest gratitude."
I bow my head slightly and remain silent.
"I hope…" Alruaa addresses me, "… you don't think I had forgotten our agreement?"
With a slight sparkle in the eye I look up at her and see her smiling.
"Why don't you get some rest with your friends for now. Tomorrow, when you're all feeling better, I'd be more than happy to do my end of the bargain."
With a sigh of relief I try to get up with all those sore spots and bruises. Check the little orc on my arm who's vastly asleep now. And walk on just to turn around again.
"Diola lle" I thank her and walk gently towards the door leading out.
We all went for a bath before dinner. It would be a very late night dinner the innkeeper told us, considering it was about 3AM in the morning according to him. None the less, he told us, he would be more then happy to fix us some.
"Haven't you dissolved yet in there?" I speak after I knocked the door of the bathroom, "Dinner is about to be served, hurry up."
"You've got my suit?" Pippa shouts from the other room.
"Yes I do. Is it okay for me to come in?"
"One more second, please, just slaying this dragon." Pippa yells, and goes for a last plunge.
"Say, Pippa, are you fighting a sea-battle out there?"
"It's alright, the coast is clear!" she answers and I slowly open the door.
"Here it is, still warm from drying in front of the fireplace." I say, laying Pippa's suit on a bench, "But tell me, how are your injuries?"
"Injuries? What Injuries?"
"Good!" I laugh "See you downstairs then!"
"Neely?"
"Yes?"
"What's your halfling friend like? You think she'd like me?"
"It 's not a she." I answer her teasing and close the door.
I come down again at the living room of the inn. A big fireplace with a lot of cushions and pillows around it. Only a bit further is a small table, both Liflaf and Alonso are sitting there checking out their loot. The innkeepers wife is repairing Alonso's cloths where for Alonso himself is still stuck with that bath towel. I decide to sit down a bit closer to the fireplace on a big blue pillow and place the little orc on my lap.
The room is very cosy, decorated with lots of textile displaying exotic figurines. The colours are all very warm too. From Cobalt Blue to Deep Purple, Amber Red to Cadmium Orange and Ochre Yellow.
Pippa comes down the stairs and greets us in her own frivolous way.
"Arrrg! Next time you commandeer the hair balm I turn you into the bar of soap you are, partner!" she stares at Alonso!
"Aye, please forgive this humble pirate," Alonso answers, "For believin' a fair maiden like you needed no hair balm t' look pretty."
"Then be at peace, for no harm is done," Pippa replies, and sat down next to Liflaf.
An odd thought enters my mind
"Where is Tittus?" I think. A sense of trouble shivering down my spine makes me get up from the cushion, grabbing the little half-orc.
"Could you hold him for a couple of minutes, please? I need to go…" and I hand over the toddler to Alonso. I go outside the inn and start looking for an answer to my own question.
"Where is Tittus? When's the last time I saw him?"
I ponder hard and remember I caught a glimpse of him on our way up to the Wemix village short after the defeat of the mage. I hadn't paid much attention to him but neither did he drew any of it.
The village is quiet, everybody is asleep most likely. My gaze is turned to infinity as I'm searching my mind. But nothing holds any key to Tittus' presence. Neither Wägtell nor Heidegger knows where he could be since they haven't seen him after our return. Both are still in the infirmary, Wägtell getting all patched up and Heidegger staying by his side. I wish them good night and return to the inn.
Just in time, for dinner is being served.
Pippa, Alonso and Liflaf spend most of the day checking out loot and dividing it equally amongst us. I get my share in gold pieces and, on request of Pippa, I check out the short bow from the gnome guard. We go to the old ruins above the village and decide to use an old tree as target practice. But the gnome bow soon reveals it self to be cursed in my opinion, it works heavily against my arm when trying to aim. I hand over the bow back to Pippa. She wants to give a try too, but she misses the old tree even harder then I did. We go back down and I decide to keep the arrows that came with it.
The sun was setting and the Priestess Alruaa gathers us for the ceremony. She leads us in a small chapel like room behind her residence. Wägtell and Heidegger are already inside when we come in. The room held more pillows on the floor and more carpets then in any other room or building I've been in so far. She gestures us to sit down and be at peace. There is a low altar in front of us which held Yaeri's body. Wrapped in white blankets but still with a face bearing the cold chill of death. Fumes of incense had already filled the chamber and proper candles are lit.
Alruaa is dressed in a ochre poncho like robe which runs from her shoulders to her stomach. Her lion like back wore a similar cloth that hangs from each side almost touching the floor.
She raises her hands which immediately commands silence if there hadn't been silence already present amongst us all.
"Let a dear friend plead for this poor soul's life." she begins in singing voice, "Goddess, hear us…"
With those words she signals me to get up. I stand up, shaking on my legs from nerves and exciting.
"Yaeri" I speak with quivering voice, "Come back to us… You have been taken unjust…" I hold my words a moment, a bit unsure what to say next.
"Let me love you in life, instead of treasuring your memory through death."
Silence sneaks around us while Allruaa stands with her eyes closed.
"Then so shall it be!" she commands, opens her eyes and opens her hand above a bowl holding fire. Dust falls down and smoke forms above the bowl freezing mid air. She waves her hand through it like to spread it above my friends body. She's speaking a divine language and the smoke hanging above Yaeri turns into silver and gold particles falling down like a rain of golden tranquillity. Shimmering by the candle light they form a golden coating around Yaeri. A burst of light suddenly emits from underneath the white blankets. Sending almost blinding rays through the room. An illusion or not but Yaeri's body seems to float for a short period. My eyes are filled with tears, blurring my sight, leaving me to blink them away or miss the rest of the wonder.
A gasp for air sounds from Yaeri's mouth, dried out and sore. Eyelids spring open and my friend's eyes stare at the sealing of the room like blinded. Alruaa picks up a bowl and gently empties it in Yaeri's mouth. Clearly Yaeri reacts to the fresh water and tries to move. She puts her hand on his/her forehead and smiles.
"Welcome back!" she says and looks at me gesturing to say something.
"Yaeri?" I whisper. My Halfling friend recognises my voice and turns his head to me staring with his blind eyes through me. I look at the priestess troubled.
"Fear not, his eyes need to adjust to the light." She explains comforting, "Just give him a moment."
There was a feast that same evening. Celebration of Yaeri's return and the good end of the troubles for the Wemix village. Everybody was laughing and drinking and singing songs. Alonso told one of his dangerous pirate stories. Liflaf was trying to impress some Wemix woman with bash-on the head stories. And Pippa, well she had a great time too… sleeping in her corner. A shame she's missing all this, but pity to wake her from her own little adventure…
"Hey Neely!" Yaeri says, "Thanks again, I don't think I can ever pay you back."
"Don't worry about it." I smile, "And who knows, you might."
"Well lets hope not…"
I give my friend a hug with my left arm while holding the baby orc with my right.
"So what's up with the little orc?" Yaeri asks. "Did you kidnap him?"
"He's a she!" I chuckle, "and no, I did not kidnap her… I found her down here in the lair of evil!"
"Right! Found! Probably, some friendly group of adventures have been sent now to retrieve the poor fella from the evil Ranger Elf"
"Hey! You can't just leave an infant down there. Whether if it was her home or she had been kidnapped or whatever reason was behind her presence. I felt it was right to take her along. She deserves better then where she was."
"Hey… I was merely teasing you." Yaeri smiles.
"It's okay…"
"I'll go grab some food before it's all gone! I'm starving!"
Yaeri turns around and heads for the large table holding a large buffet of all kinds of food. Meat, vegetables and a wide variety in spices.
"Don't worry, I'll find you a good home" I look at the toddler. While she puts her hands in my raven-black hair.
"I will call you Onyx."
