n earch f he ey - Part 1

"And I say it is too dangerous to go across the lake." Shouted Grabthroat red in the face as he leaned over, his bearded chin scant inches from Ako's soft cheeks.
"It will take too long." Replied the cleric, his calmness a mirror of the dwarf's rage.
"Trimus talk some sense into these fools." Grabthroat fell back into his chair and raised his arms theatrically.
The mage steepled his fingers and rested his elbows on the table, fastidiously avoiding the remnants of the now forgotten breakfast. "Ako, Darkhawk. We have crossed the lake twice with no misfortunes. It is only a matter of time before some freak current or storm drives us to Itheldown Island and all the terrors that will hold for us. Yes it will cost us a few days extra journey but the short-cut cross the lake may cost us more."
"Ships cross the lake all the time, Trimus." Growled Darkhawk. "They wouldn't if the risk was too great now would they. Let's have a show of hands. All in favour of taking the long way around by horse, sleeping rough and ending up with a saddle sores."
Trimus narrowed his eyes and raised his hand. He looked at Grabthroat and the dwarf reluctantly raised his as well, remembering how painful he found long journeys on horseback.
"All those in favour of risking our sanity and our very souls by crossing Lake Amsorak in the hands of a drunken madman who doesn't know one end of a tiller from the other." Asked Trimus in a sneering tone.
Darkhawk laughed and raised his hand as did Ako. Then a moment later Cain raised his hand.
"It seems that your mentor is in need of haste. The retrieval of the Nidus means much to him. Also, are we not adventurers?" The last was said with a rare glimmer of a smile on the man's tanned features.
"Very well." Conceded Trimus, by boat it is.

Later that morning they booked passage aboard the Misty Maiden to Fort Lakeside which was due to depart the following morning. To Trimus' relief the journey of two days and a night was uneventful. The captain, Lars Millway, was a cautious sailor, never letting the lake shore out of sight.

They arrived in the former military outpost of Fort Lakeside just after dark, but the dock area was still alive with people frequenting the many waterside taverns. As well as the few thousand civilians the city has two of the Darokin legions stationed in this strategic site. Much less dangerous than Fort Fletcher the soldiers are much more relaxed and tension between the public and the legionnaires is low. The companions checked two of the less crowded and more refined establishments, the Orc's Head and the Firedrake. Of the two the Firedrake looked the most welcoming and they sat down to a meal of roasted boar and tankards of sweet cider.

After they had all finished Trimus was a little light headed and he turned to Cain who had drunk nothing and eaten little more and asked him about the vision that had led him to them.
"I saw a group of people needing help. I saw towers in the clouds. The vision insisted that I wait for you where you found me. I have had none since then, though I have had several more in the past. Each has helped me to help other people.

The following day they headed out of Fort Lakeside with the warning from Michelle the barmaid still fresh in their minds. "Watch out for giants and orcs in the mountains, dragons too." She had said as they saddled up their horses. The first part of their journey took them through thick woodland beside the river Ithel. The way was hard and slow and took all their concentration to stop them falling from their horses. Suddenly without warning three giant spiders dropped from the canopy and attacked them. Trimus loosed a trio of magic missile which scorched and slowed a pair of the arachnids but still they came on. Grabthroat blanched at the beasts, each the size of a large dog but controlled his urge to spin his horse around and gallop away. Beside him Darkhawk changed into his Celestial Knight's armour and advanced towards the spiders. Trimus smashed one with his staff while Ako and Grabthroat smote the other in two. Cain, on foot, was too slow for once and the mandibles of a spider gashed his leg and injected venom into the mystic's blood. Cain dragged himself backwards as the spider withdrew, but at the same time began to twitch violently. Trimus moved to see what he could do taking a potion of antidote with him but almost as soon as he started to move, he too started to dance. Darkhawk and Grabthroat also started twitching, so violently that Darkhawk's magic blast shot over the last spiders head and shattered a tree to splinters. Ako was the last of the party to still be moving freely and he attacked the creature viciously. Again and again he flailed at the spider with his mace missing more times that he hit as he struggled to keep out of reach of the beasts bite. Trimus tried to pour the draught down Cain's throat but failed to match his shakes to Cain's and most ended up outside the wounded mystic rather than inside. Eventually Ako finished off the spider and slumped to the floor breathless. Darkhawk changed back, a struggle given that his teeth where chattering and his hand tremulous. Once he changed back his spasms stopped and he went to help Trimus with Cain. Ako then used his staff of healing on each of his twitching friends which stopped the spasms almost immediately. They searched the spiders' bodies but found nothing of value. Trimus was tempted to extract the creatures eyes but he had nothing in which to keep them fresh so they moved on to find somewhere to camp for the night.

The next day was thankfully uneventful and they continued travelling unmarked paths and tracks through the mountains. The steep tracks took all of their attention and so they didn't sense the giants perched on a cliff edge high above them until it was too late. A pair of boulders bounced down the cliff and struck the ground just in front of Trimus' horse causing it to rear and throw the mage to the ground. The second struck Darkhawk a glancing blow almost knocking the fighter into a deep, steep sided gully. Darkhawk's horse lurched sideways into Ako's steed buck the cleric into the scree at the foot of the cliff. Grabthroat twisted in his saddle to retrieve his crossbow then fired at one of the shadowy forms. A bellow suggested that his aim had been true. Trimus scrambled to his feet and drew his wand of paralysis and fired it at one of the giants but it seemed to have no effect. Three more boulders bounded down the slope two bounced clear over their heads but the third smashed into Cain winding the mystic badly. Ako, face grazed and bruised, quaffed a potion of elemental form and started up the cliff. At least that was what he thought he had taken.
"Are you mad?" shouted Grabthroat after the cleric but the wind and the howls of the giants drowned out his cry. Darkhawk took a potion of giant strength and threw one of the boulders back up the slope hitting one of the giants square in the chest. Trimus searched his mind and cast a fireball at the group of giants as they prepared to throw yet more boulders. The sky lit up as the giants were engulfed in fire. One giant was killed out right the others paralysed as Trimus followed up the spell with another blast from his wand of paralysis just as Ako reached them. The others scrambled up the cliff leaving Trimus to care for Cain who was still struggling to get his breath and to round up the horses.

Grabthroat led the way into a big cave lit by smelly tallow candles. The giants had been ambushing merchant parties for some time to judge from the contents of the cave. Sacks of coins, a scroll tube and a backpack containing a pair of potions and a ring. Putting some of the more valuable coins in a bag of holding and putting the ring, scroll and potions in a pack for later investigation they returned to Trimus, Cain and the horses.

A week later, tired, hungry, cold and longing for a hot bath they arrived at the small town of Nathrat. The town wall that encircled the town was itself surrounded by small farms and open fields creating a pretty patchwork of fields and small copses. The south gate was guarded by a pair of guards wearing clean white tabards over shining chain mail. On the centre of tabards and shields was the image of a red eagle grasping a sword.

One of the guards motioned Trimus and the others to halt. "You'll be lucky to find rooms this week. The Festival is at it's height." The guard said kindly.
"Festival?" asked Trimus.
"Yes. To celebrate the destruction of the orc horde 152 years ago. It's just building to a climax. You could try the Jolly Dragon, they may have some spaces." The guard waved them through and resumed his posture of vigilance.

They walked through the town, admiring the jolly banners and the smells rising from the braziers beside gaudily coloured stalls. The festivities centred on the market square a noisy and crowded place. Jugglers and acrobats, musicians and poets jostled for attention from the celebrating crowd. Wine and ale was freely available from numerous stalls around the perimeter of the square. A narrow twisting alley led to the small but clean Jolly Dragon where they were able to book two cramped rooms under the eves.
After they had cleaned up they returned to the almost deserted common room for a meal. William, the owner, served them himself having let his staff off for the day to enjoy the festivities.
"Duke Zagra I defeated the orc army single handed they say. He summoned powerful demons to his aid and routed the orc army from our town. Some say he was a wizard, some say he was mad. Me? I say he was both, it is sheer madness to mess with demons. Can't trust them an inch."
They slept poorly that night, the revelries went on till almost dawn and the other guests in the Jolly Dragon made no attempt to return to their beds quietly.

After breakfast the companions returned to the market where surprisingly there were many others also about despite last nights excitement. Darkhawk espied an interesting stall near the north west corner of the market square. 'Banquet Challenge' read the sign beneath which stood a large bare-chested man and a smaller, weasely man with small deep-set eyes and a thin black moustache.
"You look like a strong young lad." The moustachioed man said sidling up to Darkhawk. Beat Gustav here and you win a place at the banquet to mark the end of the festival. Just 1 silver bit. Best of three bouts."

"Go on Darkhawk." Urged Ako nudging the burly fighter in the back. Darkhawk smiled and stripped to his breeches and stepped into the sawdust strewn ring. They circled each other for a few moments, Darkhawk having the chance to admire his opponents muscles taught beneath copper coloured skin. Quick as a flash Darkhawk grabbed Gustav and threw him to the floor but could not keep him down. Suddenly Darkhawk was down and pinned by the fighter who grinned a gap toothed smile and breathed a gust of breath containing equal parts of stale beer and garlic. Darkhawk dusted himself down and prepared for the second bout. He lasted a little longer this time before Gustav feinted one way then lurched the other tripping Darkhawk with a swinging leg. Before he could roll out of the way, Gustav was atop of him and claiming victory.

"Here let me try." Said Grabthroat walking into the circle his hairy shoulders and chest raising a few chuckles from the small crowd that had gathered. "I don't fight children!" taunted Gustav which made the dwarf's ears turn purple. With a bellow Grabthroat barrelled into Gustav's legs. The taller fighter hobbled for a moment tried to shake him off but couldn't so just fell over on to of his opponent winding him for long enough to claim the first round. They shuffled round the ring each waiting for the other to move for a few moments before Grabthroat charged in again at Gustav just as he did on the first bout. Sighing Gustav braced himself for the impact. An impact that never came. Grabthroat instead ducked through his opponent's legs and head butted him behind the knees. Surprised by the tactic Gustav fell to the ground and Grabthroat flung himself atop of the surprised Glantirian's head and claimed the second bout as the snuffling fighter couldn't get up.

Trimus and Ako applauded from the crowd that was growing all the time, most cheering the dwarf on. Most were commoners but one person on the opposite side stood out. Obviously rich from his clothes, he also managed to convey a disorganised untidy appearance. To Trimus' concern he also spotted a pickpocket making his way around the ring plucking a few coins here, an item from a pack there. As he watched a groan rang around the ring. Grabthroat had been beaten in the third bout. Helped to his feet by Gustav, Grabthroat walked back to the others picking straw and sawdust from his beard and chest a broad smile on his ruddy face. "That was fun!" he grinned, a grin that grew even wider as he saw Trimus stripping to his long-johns. "No!" laughed Grabthroat, "Ako, have you allowed him to get drunk again?" Ako looked just as shocked but Darkhawk clapped the pasty but well muscled mage as he entered the ring.
Unsurprisingly Trimus swiftly lost the first bout, unaccustomed as he was to such exercise, but he did manage to get around to the other side of the ring where the pickpocket was approaching the rich merchant he had noticed earlier.

As he stood up Trimus grimaced and held his left knee. "Sorry Gustav, I'll have to concede. Perhaps next year I'll beat you." He stepped back out the ring and cast a spell on the pickpocket just as he was about to lift a purse from the merchant's belt.

"Now." Began Trimus gently as he held out his hand towards the pickpocket, "You didn't want to do that, did you." The thief charmed by Trimus' spell shook his head and drew back his hand. "Wouldn't it be nice if you gave those things you 'found' to their rightful owners?" The thief nodded and ambled back into the throng giving the coins and gewgaws back to those he had stolen them from and who were totally unaware they were missing. Not one of them realised that the items had been stolen so meek was the pickpockets manner.

"Thank you kind sir. He was about to rob me, or even worse." Babbled the merchant. "Please, join me at my cousin's banquet." At Trimus' puzzled look. "I am Raritol Zagra, the Duke's cousin."
At that moment there was a loud roar from the crowd and Trimus turned round to see Cain taking his bows while Gustav lay prone on the ground. "Yes your friends can come as well. You have been so entertaining, much more fun than the humdrum existence at the castle. Even better, why don't you come and stay. Yes that would be very nice. Just ask for me at the gatehouse, they know who I am. Don't forget to bring the little fellow, he was particularly entertaining." With that he was off into the crowds.
"Little fellow?" grumbled Grabthroat who had arrived with the others just before Raritol finished his rambling speech.

They spent the rest of the day wandering the various market stalls and side shows. Darkhawk ducked into a gaudy tent decorated with strange arcane and occult symbols that belonged to a Mam the Mysterious a halfling fortune teller. The air was thick with scents of incense mingled with the halfling's unwashed feet. The wrinkled hin lent over and cackled.
"Cross my palm with silver young man and I will tell the story of your future."
Reluctantly Darkhawk fished in his pouch and drew out a few silver bits and counted them into the seer's wrinkled and callused palm. Mam clutched the coins greedily and fed them into the capacious cleft between her breasts. Taking Darkhawk's hand in hers she turned it this way then that under her steely gaze before turning to a large crystal ball on an ebony stand. Staring into it she muttered a few cryptic incantations before lookimg back at Darkhawk.
"I see a great future, mighty warrior, I see lots of children and, and, and. No nothing more, the mists are very thick today."
Darkhawk nodded his thanks and returned to the others. He refused to speak of what passed between himself and the fortune teller, despite the ribbing of his friends.

After collecting their horses and baggage from their small room at the Jolly Dragon they made their way through the town to the keep. Situated behind a high curtain wall on the hill at the centre of town it commanded views over much of the surrounding area. Looking down from the gatehouse the whole of the town was spread out before them. The maze like streets, the large open market square with the gaudy bunting and pennants, even the wrestling ring could be seen easily. They approached the gate and called up to the guards.
"We have come at the invitation of Raritol. We were told he was expecting us." Called Darkhawk.
The guards conferred for a moment before one disappeared from the ramparts and emerged a few moments later at a small postern.
"The Duke's cousin is not here at the moment. He did however inform us that some guests would be arriving. Would you like to wait for his arrival in the gatehouse." The guard spoke in a tone that suggested that the last comment was a command rather than a question.

You waited in a bare stone chamber within the gatehouse, a pair of guards unobtrusively standing outside the solid door. Some time later the door opened and Raritol stood in the opening. From his slightly flushed appearance Trimus guessed the Duke's cousin was at least a little drunk.
"Hello again. Glad you could make it." Babbled Raritol. He then flapped at the guards with his ribbon bedecked arms. "Go stable their horses and bring their packs to the guest rooms. They will be staying as my guests."
Raritol led the way through the gatehouse into the great court of the keep, a flat expanse of grass with a few wooden buildings against the wall and a solid looking stone keep at the centre. Darkhawk guessed that most of the villagers and many of their animals could be housed in the court in times of siege. He led them up a flight of wooden steps up the side of the keep to the main door. Through a series of passages past the great hall in which preparations for the banquet were well advanced. After more stairs and further passages they arrived in his personal suite. A servant curtsied and Raritol ordered her to bring food, wine and have rooms prepared in the guest suite for his friends.

While they were eating Trimus struggled for a way to bring the Nidus into the conversation. Inspiration finally struck him as he looked around the room and noticed the heraldic symbols carved into the roof beams.
"Raritol, we have travelled far and visited many fine castles but never one that seems to have had such an interesting history as this one. Can you tell us anything about it?" Trimus tried to be as nonchalant as possible.
"Well it's no good asking me!" slurred Raritol. "The best person to talk to would be Hespin, he is the keeper of the artefacts and library. There is little that he doesn't know about the history of our family. I will have a word with him. He loves to talk to people, especially outsiders like yourselves. Yes I will see him later and warn him to expect you."

The meal over Raritol rang a small silver bell and the serving girl appeared. "Arla, take my guests to their rooms and summon master Hespin." The servant curtsied and led the friends off to their rooms.

The following morning, dressed in their finest clothes, they visited Hespin in his office. A little, old man, with hands laced with thick blue veins like an old map. His voice however was deep and rich belying his outward appearance.
"Come in. Sit down. That young dandy, Raritol says you want to know a little of the history of our town and see our treasures. Is that so?" at a nod from Trimus and the others he continued. "Well the town was established in 652 by the Liero family. They built a wooden keep near this site but their line died out in 843 when the duke died without issue. He passed the dukedom onto Zagra, the first of that name." He paused when he noticed Trimus and Ako looking at each other at the mention of that name. "Times were harsh I those days. High taxes to pay for the building of the keep and the walls around the town. It was good that this was done though, as in 848 the town was besieged by a orc horde led by Gorguul the Mighty. The orcs had almost taken the walls when the duke stood on the top of his tower and summoned demons to his aid. They were hideous and powerful beyond imagining, how he controlled them no one knows. The orcs were driven back and the duke maintained enough power and control to banish the demons back to wherever he had summoned them from." Hespin paused to take a drink of the watered wine a servent had brought him and the others.
"Then nearly ten years later in 857 the tower and the town were destroyed in a great magical battle. A group of strangers, from where the annuls do not say, confronted the duke. He ordered that they should be executed but they escaped and attacked the duke. Zagra locked himself in the tower and bombarded the strangers with spells from the ramparts. He appeared to be on the point of summoning more demons when the tower and an area around it was destroyed by a magical explosion. His body and that of some of the strangers were never found. His son Engar took over the title and struggled to rebuild the town and the new keep, the one in which we sit and talk now. He also established many new laws, including one forbidding the summoning of demons within the boundaries of his dukedom. He also excavated the ruins of the old tower and set up the Hall Of Artefacts with some of the magical items his father had constructed. One of which he made into part of the ducal regalia. Those rooms that still existed below the old tower have been covered over with a fathom of stone, it is said that he found demons and other creatures down there and had to stop his explorations before all could be discovered."

With Ako's help the old man rose from his chair and led them down a corridor to a large hall with windows that looked out over the town. "This is the Hall Of Artefacts that Engar built to house the wondrous things that his father made and discovered." He waved his arm in an expansive gesture and you gasped at the range of items on display. There were paintings, mainly portraits, tapestries, robes, capes, jewellery, armour, weapons. They moved slowly along the gallery. Trimus brought up the rear while Ako engaged their guide in conversation. Taking his chance the mage cast a spell of magic detection on the room. Many items glowed with a light that only Trimus could see, but none glowed as bright as a silver armband near the middle of the room. Trimus paused just long enough to confirm his suspicions before continuing on. Hespin continued describing the items as the others stood and listened politely. At that moment Raritol clapped Trimus on the shoulder causing the young mage to yelp guiltily.

Back to my home page.
Back to the story's contents page
The Next Chapter

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page