11111
"What happened?" Asked Rincewind "My feels like it's splitting in two and I've got bruises in areas I didn't even know I had. I'm Rincewind by the way."
Ander's shrugged as best he could while chained up. "It's nothing fatal, just the standard reaction to Templar justice. You'll feel better in an hour or two, I would offer to heal you but as you can see that's a bit beyond me at the moment."
Rincewind's head might have been a bit tender but the word Templar was ringing alarm bells, painful ones given his headache. "Templars, those Religious Soldiers who round up Magic Users?"
"That's them" said Anders with a grimace "I don't recognise you from the tower so I'm guessing you're an apostate."
"Something like that."
"I'm impressed you were able to evade them for as long as you did. How did they get you?"
"I ran onto the road naked and the next thing I knew I was in here."
Anders couldn't help himself, he laughed out loud. Rincewind joined him a moment later and the uncontrollable hysterics continued until one of the Templars banged on the side of the wagon and told them to shut up.
"Well" Anders eventually said, once he got his breath back. "At least you'll have an interesting story to tell once we get to the tower."
"These sorts of things happen to me all the time." Said a resigned Rincewind "At least the Templars had some spare clothes; otherwise I might have had a very chilly reception, for all sorts of reasons."
"Oh I don't know some of the female apprentices might have enjoyed it."
"Well naturally" said Rincewind with a sardonic grin before returning to his questions. "How long before we get to the Circle?"
"Difficult to say" replied Anders. "It would normally take a few days but with all the chaos on the roads it could take a week or so. Assuming of course we don't escape first."
"You reckon we have a good chance?"
"There's always a chance and I'm a professional when it comes to escaping the Templars" proclaimed Anders, rather proudly.
"If that's the case how have you ended up here?" Asked Rincewind, eyebrow raised by the implication of multiple escape attempts.
"I've never said I was any good at staying free." Anders pointed out "It is rather difficult to do that when the Templars use a vial of my blood to track me down."
"Oh great, is that what I have to look forward to at the Circle?"
"Maybe" said Anders not quite meeting his eyes "or they might not bother and just make you tranquil."
"Tranquil?"
"They sever our connection to the fade, removing our magic and our emotions to boot. The Tranquil mages are basically mindless slaves" Said Ander sounding understandably angry and disgusted.
"I see" said Rincewind, processing this new, deeply unpleasant information. "Well at least we have some time to get out. You're not the only Wizard here who has a knack for getting out of sticky situations."
11111
Poacher the Mabari was having a good day, even without his Master around. The camp was tucked away in a small wood just outside the city walls; they had been there for two days. The war hound had been using this time productively chasing nearby wildlife; rabbits, deer, birds and wild boar, they were always good for practice. Since he had joined his newest master there had been constant fights and nearly as many hunts so practice was always good, fun to.
He was not however alone in this. The wooden creature had accompanied him. It may not be a Mabari or even a dog for that matter but in Poacher's mind the wooden creature had a good appreciation for the finer things in life, running and hiding, playing, traumatising local wildlife and, of course, mauling enemies.
He sniffed the ground; the wooden creature was near, probably behind that large oak tree. It was strange how such a thing had appeared out of nowhere all those weeks ago. At that point of course Poacher had managed to escape his pen, as well as the horde of dark creatures, and was tracking down his new master in the wilderness. The first thing he had encountered (apart from edible animals) however was the wooden creature eating what appeared to be eating the last of a small band of dark creatures before going completely still. He had been so distracted by curiously sniffing the wooden creature he nearly missed the arrival of his new master. The Mabari did not realise at the time but that was the beginning of an excellent partnership, for everyone.
Sure enough behind the Oak Tree the Luggage was half way through a bear, literally. Since it was also in quite a good mood the other half was for the Canine friend, a good companion for a dog and, unlike many others of his kind, he hadn't tried to urinate on the Luggage once. The two beings were just about to engage in the quiet, unique, bonding experience that can come about with devouring gigantic, predatory forest animals together when Poacher smelt something all too familiar. The Mabari let out his normal battle howl; the Luggage recognised the sound and let out a rather doglike growl as both of them raced off on the trail.
11111
Edgar the merchant was not having a good week.
Near constant icy rain, leaky boots and rotten food, then his cart got repeatedly stuck in the mud while his perpetually bad tempered mule (bought cheap down south) proved to be more trouble than it was worth. Honestly all Edgar wanted now was to get into the city, find a warm bed next to a fire and a nice stiff drink.
"Is that so much to ask for?" mumbled the dejected traveller.
Apparently it was.
Two dozen Darkspawn emerged from the patch of trees to the unfortunate merchant's left. The largest of them, carrying a two-handed axe and wearing gold coloured armour seemed to chuckle before letting out a bestial roar. The Darkspawn charged; poor Edgar had heard rumours of Darkspawn raids happening since the Ostagar disaster but he had never been within a mile of such danger and was left paralysed with abject terror, as was his equally unfortunate mule. Edgar was just trying to remember the few parts of the chant of light he knew in the unlikely event that that might protect him when the first Darkspawn reached his wagon. So this is it he thought, shutting his eyes Maker! all the things I've not done and-
RRAAAARRGGHH
One eye opened, then the other, still alive? No pain, no loss of limbs, no blood, not even a scratch? He looked down at the Darkspawn. It was still there only now it was lying on its' back with dark blood flowing out of his torn neck. A dog, a pure bred Mabari by the look of it, had charged out from the other side of the road. Three Darkspawn were already down, all of them having had their throats ripped out. It was an astonishing sight but over twenty Darkspawn against one dog? It did not look good perhaps he better use this distraction and leave-
RRRAAAARRRGGGHHH
There was another one! Then his mind caught up to what he was seeing. Wait a minute, dogs don't have that many legs, nor do spiders come to think of it. What the fade was that? Whatever it was it had all but leapt at the Darkspawn nearest to it, a brief but unpleasant crunching sound followed and the monster appeared to have lost everything from the shoulders up. He got a slightly better look at what it was; a wooden chest, with legs, and rather large teeth.
Once he recovered from that sight and the dozens of questions it raised his mind returned to the battle. Nearly half the Darkspawn were dead, bodies were horribly mangled by the dog or had pieces eaten by a voraciously carnivorous chest. It was almost as though the two beasts were in competition to see who could make the most kills, with bonus points for gory style. The Darkspawn were edging back trying to re-group, keeping together. Edgar, while no strategist could see the difference between hopeless fight and winnable one and so decided he wouldn't run. He grabbed the short bow and arrows he planning to sell on in the Denerim and prepared to unleash a storm of death.
"Ha! Got one! Take that you ugly bastards!"
He actually hit a Darkspawn shield but it was the thought that counted.
As the newly enthusiastic but still inept merchant prepared his second arrow, the battle was hitting a stalemate. The Darkspawn in front were bunched up, swinging their swords erratically. They weren't quick enough to hit their twin menaces but their remaining archers were aiming carefully from behind them. All they had to do was distract them long enough for the arrows…
"FEAR MY SWORDS MONSTERS!"
The Darkspawn archers were stuck from behind. One got a Sword through the back, another twin daggers coated with fresh poison in the neck; the third had been hamstrung, the squealing archer toppling as another fatal blow sliced through the base of his spine.
The few surrounded Darkspawn did not last long. Swords, Arrows (not from the merchant, who completely missed his second shot, but a smiling young woman) and spells finished off most of the grunts. The Big leader creature after putting up a brave but doomed struggle ended up being used for tug of war between two insatiable killing machines.
As the adrenalin wore off merchant collapsed onto his wagon, short bow dropping to his side. He was amazed at still being alive and the carnage that surrounded him. As he slowly got his breath back the first two of his saviours approached him, as far as he could tell they looked extremely pleased with themselves.
"Here you go" said Edgar passing the blood spattered dog a joint of lamb he had been saving.
"You earned this".
The dog, which was evidently happy with his reward licked the merchant's cheek and trotted off.
His second saviour now arrived in front of him.
"Hmm can't say I've ever given a reward to a piece of furniture before… would you like this bottle of varnish, its good quality stuff."
The Luggage was equally pleased, also licking the Merchant's cheek before taking the bottle between its teeth.
Edgar waited as the others looted the bodies before getting up and speaking to them.
"Thanks, all of you, for the help. Don't know what would have happened if you lot hadn't appeared."
"Happy to help" said the rather tired and scruffy looking Dwarf leading the group. "You're not far from the city gates. You should be alright from here."
"Good, I think I've enough danger on this road. Maker bless you Ser Dwarf" he paused "and your vicious pets to."
As the merchant left Odin turned to his reunited companions.
"I should have known you two wouldn't stay out of trouble" he said in mock reproof. He shook his head, smiling.
"Alright let's get back to camp. I for one could do with some hot food and shut eye."
11111
"Damn it! Who made that last move? I was distracted by pouring more of this fine ale." Asked one of the Dwarfs a long way away, looking at the two players and their board.
"Could have been either of them" said his companion and fellow Paragon "Both seem to appreciate the value of dramatic violence."