Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Abandoned
Grimnak had never fit in with his tribe. While he was strong, he was still slightly smaller than the other, full-blooded orcs in his tribe. He knew this was due to his mothers human blood, but knew nothing about her since she had died in childbirth, a slave captured by his father, who had also been killed when Grimnak was not much bigger than a snotling.
Growing up a half-orc orphan was a hard life. If not for his impressive strength, he never would have survived. Time and again he tried to prove himself to the tribe, and time and again he seemed to come up short of their expectations.
He thought he had finally the chance to prove himself with this expedition. They had heard about this rat faced sorcerer, and the treasure he had promised. But they never expected that once they entered this underground maze they would be unable to get out again.
And then the creatures attacked. Like something out of a nightmare, these tentacled monstrosities suddenly appeared, flying through the air and attacking them. The rats he could handle, they were easy to kill and tasted pretty good when you roasted them, but these squid things hid in the darkness where no one could see them, then dropped down and smothered you.
But it wasn't the squids that did him in, though they had killed many of the other orcs. It was teh smell. The horrible, putrid stench, so different even from the village where he grew up, to which many a human would gag about. This was much worse, a musk that made him sick, vomitting up the rats he had roasted for dinner. His tribe was attacking these lizard type of creatures - and that was where the stench came from. So overcome with naseau and vomitting, he didn't even know when one hit him from behind, knocking him cold.
It had been two days now, and at last he was becoming used to the smell, at least used to it enough to keep the small drink of water down that they gave him. He didn't know why these troglodytes were keeping him prisoner, nor did he blame them. But why didn't his tribe try to rescue him? Where were they? They had abandoned him here.
It was the last straw. No more would he follow the tribe. He would follow the orcs no longer. Once he freed himself he would go forth, and prove his own worth, regardless of what they thought. No matter what the orcs did now, he knew his destiny lay elsewhere.
And that is when he heard the noise . . .
Growing up a half-orc orphan was a hard life. If not for his impressive strength, he never would have survived. Time and again he tried to prove himself to the tribe, and time and again he seemed to come up short of their expectations.
He thought he had finally the chance to prove himself with this expedition. They had heard about this rat faced sorcerer, and the treasure he had promised. But they never expected that once they entered this underground maze they would be unable to get out again.
And then the creatures attacked. Like something out of a nightmare, these tentacled monstrosities suddenly appeared, flying through the air and attacking them. The rats he could handle, they were easy to kill and tasted pretty good when you roasted them, but these squid things hid in the darkness where no one could see them, then dropped down and smothered you.
But it wasn't the squids that did him in, though they had killed many of the other orcs. It was teh smell. The horrible, putrid stench, so different even from the village where he grew up, to which many a human would gag about. This was much worse, a musk that made him sick, vomitting up the rats he had roasted for dinner. His tribe was attacking these lizard type of creatures - and that was where the stench came from. So overcome with naseau and vomitting, he didn't even know when one hit him from behind, knocking him cold.
It had been two days now, and at last he was becoming used to the smell, at least used to it enough to keep the small drink of water down that they gave him. He didn't know why these troglodytes were keeping him prisoner, nor did he blame them. But why didn't his tribe try to rescue him? Where were they? They had abandoned him here.
It was the last straw. No more would he follow the tribe. He would follow the orcs no longer. Once he freed himself he would go forth, and prove his own worth, regardless of what they thought. No matter what the orcs did now, he knew his destiny lay elsewhere.
And that is when he heard the noise . . .
Carried Away
Thoman looked around the field near his home, giving thanks once more for the daily blessing provided by Pelor, his patron god. Ever since he was young, he found that he had an innate connection to his diety, and to the ability to heal others with the simple touch of his hand.
Unlike the preachers that often attempt to teach of his god Pelor and other gods, he felt instead a special connection to his diety, never having to prepare for the miracles he performed, but instead being able to call forth the power of his god at his will.
He gladly gave of himself to those who needed his care, spreading his healing wherever he found suffering and pain.
He was on his way home from one of his journeys to a neighboring village to heal the sick, enjoying the sun on his face and beauty of the day. His walk was steady but not rushed, and he expected to return long before nightfall.
He was surprised then when a sudden shadow fell upon him from behind, without even the hint of a sound that his keen hearing could have picked up from. Turning to see what was blocking the sunlight, he sees before him a door that suddenly opens and rushes toward him, scooping him inside before he has any chance to react. The light of the sun is cut off as the door slams shut, and he lands on a spongy suface. And then the scratching begins . . .
Unlike the preachers that often attempt to teach of his god Pelor and other gods, he felt instead a special connection to his diety, never having to prepare for the miracles he performed, but instead being able to call forth the power of his god at his will.
He gladly gave of himself to those who needed his care, spreading his healing wherever he found suffering and pain.
He was on his way home from one of his journeys to a neighboring village to heal the sick, enjoying the sun on his face and beauty of the day. His walk was steady but not rushed, and he expected to return long before nightfall.
He was surprised then when a sudden shadow fell upon him from behind, without even the hint of a sound that his keen hearing could have picked up from. Turning to see what was blocking the sunlight, he sees before him a door that suddenly opens and rushes toward him, scooping him inside before he has any chance to react. The light of the sun is cut off as the door slams shut, and he lands on a spongy suface. And then the scratching begins . . .
What is that smell?
"What is that smell?" Jaren asks, looking down at Cade.
"Hey, don't look at me!" replies the halfling, "I bathed the last time you did! It seems to be coming from this entire area."
Covering their faces, they continue on. "I think the smell is coming from that body"
says Ikiru, as they turn a corner to find a another octopus creature torn apart, next to the body of a humanoid lizard. "Let us leave this area and this foul musk".
Finding another door after more empty corridors, they open it to reveal several flying bat-like insects, who swarm to attack. Jaren jumps inside, closing the door behind him as the Tres is finally overcome by the smell, and leans agains the wall as his breakfast comes back up, splashing against the cold stone floor.
Using this eldritch blast, Jaren quickly proceeds to kill the swarm of stirges, none of whom seem able to penetrate his defenses. Ikiru then joins him, leaving Cade, who is also now sick, safely in the corridor, while his swords make very short work of the last few stirges.
"Come," says Ikiru, "we must find a way beyond the stench of these corridors, before we all sucumb to the stench."
"Hey, don't look at me!" replies the halfling, "I bathed the last time you did! It seems to be coming from this entire area."
Covering their faces, they continue on. "I think the smell is coming from that body"
says Ikiru, as they turn a corner to find a another octopus creature torn apart, next to the body of a humanoid lizard. "Let us leave this area and this foul musk".
Finding another door after more empty corridors, they open it to reveal several flying bat-like insects, who swarm to attack. Jaren jumps inside, closing the door behind him as the Tres is finally overcome by the smell, and leans agains the wall as his breakfast comes back up, splashing against the cold stone floor.
Using this eldritch blast, Jaren quickly proceeds to kill the swarm of stirges, none of whom seem able to penetrate his defenses. Ikiru then joins him, leaving Cade, who is also now sick, safely in the corridor, while his swords make very short work of the last few stirges.
"Come," says Ikiru, "we must find a way beyond the stench of these corridors, before we all sucumb to the stench."
A friend returns
It took quite some time, but eventually Jaren discovered the command word for the wand, and narrowly missed splashing acid over Tres as an arrow shot from the tip. "Watch it, farmboy!" the Dragon Shaman shouted, "you could put someone's eye out with that thing!"
Suddenly a doorway appears in the middle of the room, floating a few inches from the floor. It silently swings open, and without warning a body is unceremoniously dumped through it, landing in a heap before the door slams shut and disappears just as quickly as it appeared.
Weapons at the ready, Jaren, Tres and Cade prepare for battle, when the body lifts its face from the floor, revealing itself to be none other than Ikiru Kamakazi, the samurai!
"Ikiru!" shouts Cade, unable to hold back his joy at the return of their leader, "what happened to you? Where have you been?"
"I was imprisoned, surrounded and tortured by tiny creatures. However I am free now, and I will speak of it no more. But now I must rest."
The other three companions take turns at the watch, but nothing disturbs the sleep of the samurai. After a quick breakfast of roasted rat, they begin to explore once more.
"Let's try this one," says Tres, as he pulls open the door. Suddenly a sheet of flame bursts from the ceiling, slightly singing the Dragon Shaman. "Ok, thief, you open the doors from now on!"
Once more they find the enter corridors that seem to lead to nothing but more empty corridors, each as empty as the last. After wandering for quite some time, they at last come to a larger hallway, which at least is not empty, though only dead bodies await them in a pile here. Orcs, kobolds, and some type of feline all lie dead here.
Moving northward, they find what appear to be some sort of stables. Once more, rats swarm over them, hundreds of the tiny vermin biting, scratching and clawing at all four adventurers. However these pests are easily dispatched by the combined might of the the Dragon Shaman, the energy blasts of the Warlock, and the whirling blades of the samurai.
They continue exploreing the series of rooms, finding nothing more than more rats, dead kobolds, and the dead bodies of the flying octopus creatures they have seen before.
Suddenly a doorway appears in the middle of the room, floating a few inches from the floor. It silently swings open, and without warning a body is unceremoniously dumped through it, landing in a heap before the door slams shut and disappears just as quickly as it appeared.
Weapons at the ready, Jaren, Tres and Cade prepare for battle, when the body lifts its face from the floor, revealing itself to be none other than Ikiru Kamakazi, the samurai!
"Ikiru!" shouts Cade, unable to hold back his joy at the return of their leader, "what happened to you? Where have you been?"
"I was imprisoned, surrounded and tortured by tiny creatures. However I am free now, and I will speak of it no more. But now I must rest."
The other three companions take turns at the watch, but nothing disturbs the sleep of the samurai. After a quick breakfast of roasted rat, they begin to explore once more.
"Let's try this one," says Tres, as he pulls open the door. Suddenly a sheet of flame bursts from the ceiling, slightly singing the Dragon Shaman. "Ok, thief, you open the doors from now on!"
Once more they find the enter corridors that seem to lead to nothing but more empty corridors, each as empty as the last. After wandering for quite some time, they at last come to a larger hallway, which at least is not empty, though only dead bodies await them in a pile here. Orcs, kobolds, and some type of feline all lie dead here.
Moving northward, they find what appear to be some sort of stables. Once more, rats swarm over them, hundreds of the tiny vermin biting, scratching and clawing at all four adventurers. However these pests are easily dispatched by the combined might of the the Dragon Shaman, the energy blasts of the Warlock, and the whirling blades of the samurai.
They continue exploreing the series of rooms, finding nothing more than more rats, dead kobolds, and the dead bodies of the flying octopus creatures they have seen before.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
The workshop
"Well at least it isn't more dead orcs!" said Cade as they surveyed the room. Several tables were pushed to the sides, and in one corner sits a cold forge. Tools are scattered about, and scorch marks abound on the floor and furniture.
"Hold on a second," says Jaren. "I'm noticing something strange here. Do you see the glow over there? And there?" he asks, pointing first to the furnace, and then to the leg of one of the tables.
"I don't see anything but a bunch of worthless junk," the halfling replies, "maybe you've been staring into the torches too long!"
"No, there is a faint glow coming from the furnace here" says the warlock. He reaches forward to touch the rock, and it moves to his touch, being attached to some sort of flap, covering a small opening. As he lifts the rock, a small dagger comes shooting forward, narrowly missing him. "Aha!" shouts the warlock, reaching inside and pulling out a set of rolled up parchement. "This may be better than maps."
Examining the writing, he quickly realizes that these are spell scrolls. "I can use these" he says, putting them in his pack.
"So, you can see magic?" asks Tres.
"It would appear so," the warlock replies, "which could be a very useful talent. Now, where was that other one. Oh yes, here you are," he says as he turns and walks to one of the tables. He quickly turns the table over, and begins to examine the leg. "There is something special about this, but I can't seem to find it."
"Let an expert look," says Cade, walking over. He carefully begins to examine the leg, finally finding a small crack. "Here it is," he says, showing it to the warlock and shaman. "It is hollow, there is something inside." His small fingers quickly open the wood, and a wand falls to the ground.
"This could also prove useful" Jaren says, picking up the wand. "Let's take a rest and I'll see if I can figure this thing out."
"Hold on a second," says Jaren. "I'm noticing something strange here. Do you see the glow over there? And there?" he asks, pointing first to the furnace, and then to the leg of one of the tables.
"I don't see anything but a bunch of worthless junk," the halfling replies, "maybe you've been staring into the torches too long!"
"No, there is a faint glow coming from the furnace here" says the warlock. He reaches forward to touch the rock, and it moves to his touch, being attached to some sort of flap, covering a small opening. As he lifts the rock, a small dagger comes shooting forward, narrowly missing him. "Aha!" shouts the warlock, reaching inside and pulling out a set of rolled up parchement. "This may be better than maps."
Examining the writing, he quickly realizes that these are spell scrolls. "I can use these" he says, putting them in his pack.
"So, you can see magic?" asks Tres.
"It would appear so," the warlock replies, "which could be a very useful talent. Now, where was that other one. Oh yes, here you are," he says as he turns and walks to one of the tables. He quickly turns the table over, and begins to examine the leg. "There is something special about this, but I can't seem to find it."
"Let an expert look," says Cade, walking over. He carefully begins to examine the leg, finally finding a small crack. "Here it is," he says, showing it to the warlock and shaman. "It is hollow, there is something inside." His small fingers quickly open the wood, and a wand falls to the ground.
"This could also prove useful" Jaren says, picking up the wand. "Let's take a rest and I'll see if I can figure this thing out."
Wanderings
"You're holding it upside down!" said Cade, pointing at the torn scrap of parchement that Tres was holding.
"Enough!" replied the Dragon Shaman. "This map you found is obviously not of a place that we recognize, no matter how you turn it. So come, let us keep looking for a way out of this maze of empty corridors and rooms."
Turning away from the halfling, Tres headed down the hallway.
It felt like they had been walking for hours. After leaving the ogre, it seems they were hopelessly lost. After walking down a long passageway they had found a room full of bodies, piled around a pillar covered with carvings. Even though there were many open doors leading from this room, they had obviously picked poorly - as they kept wandering down corridors that doubled back on themselves - doors that seemed to lead to nowhere, and hallways that were nothing but large circles. And when they did find a single room that wasn't empty - it was full of more rotting corpses - the smell nearly overwhelming them in the brief moment the door was open.
"Wait," Tres says suddenly, "There is something written on this door."
"It just looks like scratches and lines to me," says Jaren, looking at the door in the light of the torch, "I can't make head or tails of it."
"It is written in the language of dragons," replies Tres, "A noble and ancient tongue. Seeing it written with such disregard for it's beauty fills me with sadness."
"C'mon," growls Cade, "I'm bored, hungry, and bored. Can you read it or not?"
"Of course I can read it," Tres snaps back. "But there is no reason to lose the appreciate of beauty in haste. The message is simple enough. It says 'Danger: Do Not Enter'. So I think you should go first, in case there are traps!"
"Well I don't see any," says Cade, pushing his way past the shaman. He reaches forward, and opens the door. Immediately a pulsing red light fills the corridor. In the center of the chamber is a large ruby, floating in the air, glowing with a light from within.
"Wow, that's pretty" says the halfling, stepping into the room.
"I bet it is magical," says Jaren, walking forward, and reaching out a hand to grasp the floating gem. "I wonder what it does?"
The flash of light is nearly blinding, and the force knocks all three adventurers from their feet, but there is no sound as the gem releases whatever energy it was containing in a final, spectacular burst.
"That smarts" says the halfling as he sits up. "Don't do that again!" He then starts to feel better, as the shaman extends his aura of vigor to include both his companions. "C'mon, lets get out of here."
Picking themselves up, they continue their wanderings.
"Enough!" replied the Dragon Shaman. "This map you found is obviously not of a place that we recognize, no matter how you turn it. So come, let us keep looking for a way out of this maze of empty corridors and rooms."
Turning away from the halfling, Tres headed down the hallway.
It felt like they had been walking for hours. After leaving the ogre, it seems they were hopelessly lost. After walking down a long passageway they had found a room full of bodies, piled around a pillar covered with carvings. Even though there were many open doors leading from this room, they had obviously picked poorly - as they kept wandering down corridors that doubled back on themselves - doors that seemed to lead to nowhere, and hallways that were nothing but large circles. And when they did find a single room that wasn't empty - it was full of more rotting corpses - the smell nearly overwhelming them in the brief moment the door was open.
"Wait," Tres says suddenly, "There is something written on this door."
"It just looks like scratches and lines to me," says Jaren, looking at the door in the light of the torch, "I can't make head or tails of it."
"It is written in the language of dragons," replies Tres, "A noble and ancient tongue. Seeing it written with such disregard for it's beauty fills me with sadness."
"C'mon," growls Cade, "I'm bored, hungry, and bored. Can you read it or not?"
"Of course I can read it," Tres snaps back. "But there is no reason to lose the appreciate of beauty in haste. The message is simple enough. It says 'Danger: Do Not Enter'. So I think you should go first, in case there are traps!"
"Well I don't see any," says Cade, pushing his way past the shaman. He reaches forward, and opens the door. Immediately a pulsing red light fills the corridor. In the center of the chamber is a large ruby, floating in the air, glowing with a light from within.
"Wow, that's pretty" says the halfling, stepping into the room.
"I bet it is magical," says Jaren, walking forward, and reaching out a hand to grasp the floating gem. "I wonder what it does?"
The flash of light is nearly blinding, and the force knocks all three adventurers from their feet, but there is no sound as the gem releases whatever energy it was containing in a final, spectacular burst.
"That smarts" says the halfling as he sits up. "Don't do that again!" He then starts to feel better, as the shaman extends his aura of vigor to include both his companions. "C'mon, lets get out of here."
Picking themselves up, they continue their wanderings.
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