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The
Quest
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| Chapter 1: The Beginning | |
Sections: Prelude, 1, 2, 3, 4 |
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Chapter 1: The Beginning
“I’m telling ya, it leads to an actual treasure! More money than we could ever spend! Gold, silver, rubies, diamonds!”
He had been going on like this ever since they had left the last commune. No one knew who he was, but they all knew he was persistent. At the moment he seems to be trying to convince a young man, with blonde hair. Who, judging from the amulet hanging from his neck and the white robes, appears to be an elemental priest of some sort. “Really just think about it! With the treasure from this haul, I’m sure your church elders would be very pleased with you! I’d be willing to split it fairly and it shouldn’t be too hard to get to. And you!” He turns to another man who only comes up to his shoulder with sandy brown hair, “I hear magi like to collect magical things I know there are magic items in there so you’re interested right? I know you’re a mage, because I saw you reading that book before…right, right?”
Tired of his constant wheedling, another traveler says, “If it’s so easy to get to then why don’t you get it yourself?” This one is about average height with black hair he is wearing scale mail armor that is bright and shiny despite the layer of dust over it.
The young human hesitates as he rubs the back of his head and says shyly, “Well you see, there is so much treasure that I can’t carry even a large portion out by myself and there are a few hazards. Just minors one really, but if I’m burdened down by a backpack full of loot, it makes it a bit hard to avoid them.”
One of the escorts tells the group to be quiet as he hears something in the forest ahead. The tall human looks fairly young, but his hair is short and white like that of an old man. He isn’t especially happy to be with this group, but because the commune’s elder asked that he escort them at least for a league or so away he acquiesced. He starts to moves forward through the woods until the spots the disturbance.
Several strange looking creatures are tromping through the woods in their direction and will upon them in mere moments. The moss-covered creatures seem shorter than dwarves, but their sharp claws show they aren’t defenseless.
There are six of them in all. One is armed with a club and another in the center of the group has a spear.
By the time the escort gets back to the group the creatures have spotted the lot of them and are charging wildly.
***************
The young priest looks startled for a moment, then a fierce grin lights up his face. Striking a dramatic pose with his arms raised to the sky, he shouts out, "Mighty Arilus, I beseech thee! Send your icy breath upon the souls of these infidels to freeze them where they stand!"
As everyone draws their weapons a mighty gust of wind sweeps through the forest. Coming from behind the small group of travelers, it blasts through them causing nearly everyone, except the priest to stumble. It cuts through the approaching creatures causing them to slow down and one of them to stop completely frozen in mid-stride.
The magus with sandy brown hair begins chanting a rune.
The escort with white hair nocks and arrow and takes aim.
The traveler in scale mail draws his sword and takes the battle to the charging creatures.
The annoying little nat hangs back behind everyone, not exactly running away, but not going forward either.
The second escort, a human with long silver-white hair, also moves forward with his short sword drawn but he moves a bit more cautiously.
The first pair of creatures attacks the man in armor as the two run up and leap at him. His sword flashes and it cuts deeply into the side of one of the creatures tossing it off to one side where it bounces off of a tree and collapses. The other lands on his chest and tries to claw at him desperately, but it seems to be having trouble getting through his armor. The traveler stumbles back in surprise and falls on his back. He brings his arms up to protect his face but the creature is blocking them.
The magus finishes his rune and points at the approaching creatures. From out of the treetops small white glowing specks descend. The two creatures that are armed with weapons look up curiously at the lights.
The creature on top of the traveler slows in his struggles, and finally stops and falls silent. Oddly, the traveler does not get up even though he isn’t badly wounded.
The pause is all the white haired elvin archer needs as he aims carefully and fires. His arrow flies straight to its target and through it’s target. The creature is tossed back a few steps but struggles to its feet and seems a little disoriented, but then it does have a good-sized hole in it.
The two creatures with weapons turn and charge toward the sandy haired elf.
***************
The human with long silver-white hair charges toward the three creatures still moving. Before he can get to the closest an arrow shoots past him slamming into the body of the injured creature.
It tries to get away but does not get a chance as the human quickly finishes it.
The other two ignore the human as the charge upon the sandy-haired elf.
Seeing that he is their target, he moves behind the priest trying to put someone in between the two creatures and himself as he scrambles to pull out two daggers.
The priest is unconcerned that he is being used as a shield. He nods with satisfaction at the effect the wind had on the one pygmy, but sees that his work is not yet done. Turning to the two swiftly approaching creatures he points at the closest one and shouts, "Great Arilus, hear our plea! Freeze the blood of that fiend, chill his bowls and drive the fire of courage from his spirit!"
He has received his orders, kill the shaman of the group and the rest will be easy pickings. The shaman is cowardly like all of his kind and will flee at the sight of battle. 'He is hiding, but that will avail him not because soon he will be dead.' He chuckles himself and he charges toward his prey. There is another who is screeching at the top of his lungs, but he is unarmed and is of no matter. He will die soon. He knows this and that is why he is screaming.
Suddenly there is a chill in his bones as if someone is dancing on his grave. He sees a fleeting vision in his mind! 'It’s a trap' he thinks. 'An illusion created to trap us.' He looks down to see one of his comrades unharmed yet unmoving. He turns around shouting, "It's a trap, we must flee!" Without making sure the others are following he runs as fast as he can back into the woods. 'If I make it I'll tell the others of this creatures presence! No one else shall fall prey to its wiles.'
The two small creatures run up to the traveler, one slows down and looks at his sleeping companion and suddenly reverse direction screeching. The other continues its charge using the bodies of its sleeping companion and the traveler as a springboard it launches itself into the air and tosses its spear at the sandy haired elf.
The sandy haired elf looks up from drawing his daggers and dodges quickly as he spots the spear aimed for him. He isn't fast enough as the spear slices through his right arm, leaving a nasty gash.
The escort with the short white hair launches an arrow at point blank range into the creature as it comes down out of its leap. The arrow passes clean through its left shoulder knocking it back and down. It quickly recovers and levels a quick slash at the priest barely nicking him.
***************
The two small creatures run up to the traveler, one slows down and looks at his sleeping companion and suddenly reverse direction screeching. The other continues its charge using the bodies of its sleeping companion and the traveler as a springboard it launches itself into the air and tosses its spear at the sandy haired elf.
The sandy haired elf looks up from drawing his daggers and dodges quickly as he spots the spear aimed for him. He isn't fast enough as the spear slices through his right arm, leaving a nasty gash.
The escort with the short white hair launches an arrow at point blank range into the creature as it comes down out of its leap. The arrow passes clean through its left shoulder knocking it back and down. It quickly recovers and levels a quick slash at the priest barely nicking him.
The young priest leaps back and quickly examines the scratch on his arm, shock evident on his face. ‘The creature cut him! Didn't it know he was a sanctified priest of Arilus?’
The sandy haired elf launches first one then the other dagger at the strange creature both daggers hitting it solidly in the chest.
The creature stumbles back before it is pushed forward by another.
When it used its companion as a springboard, it woke the creature up! That once sleeping creature pushes forward and runs past the priest heading for the sandy haired elf.
With the two creatures too close and moving too fast for a good shot, the escort with the short white hair moves away from them. He notices that there is still one of those creatures still standing watching them. He turns and takes the free shot, which rips through an arm. A second shot goes through the skull ripping it off of the body, which still does not move.
The priests’ expression quickly changes to annoyance and he whips out his short sword. He steps forward in a crouch with the blade held awkwardly high and in a clumsy, overhand grip.
He leaves himself open to attack, but the creature is no longer concerned with fighting as much as it is survival. After pulling the two daggers out and tossing them aside it turns and runs/stumbles away.
He doesn’t get far as he finds the second escort waiting for him with sword in hand. One swing and the creature is no more.
While for most the battle is over, the sandy haired elf still has his problems as he holds a third dagger up and uses it to just barely parry and attack by the last creature. The creature tries to leap at him but is forced back lest he be skewered by the dagger.
The annoying nat finally joins the battle as he take the small spear thrown by one of the creatures and tosses it at the creature. The attack is clumsy but lucky. The creature tries to dodge the spear and the dagger at the same time, he avoids the dagger, but the spear manages to hit him in the foot.
The creature stumbles back on one leg until it falls at the legs of the priest who turns around to see what is going on. Spotting the wounded creature at his feet he casually thrusts his blade into the creatures middle finishing it off.
The nat smiles and says, “Look at that! They weren’t so tough! We got an unstoppable team here! If you guys come with me this won’t be any problem what-so-ever!”
***************
The young priest of Arilus cleans his short sword by thrusting it into the soil, a look of distaste evident on his face.
The second escort walks over to the sleeping traveler and kicks him awake. The traveler responds by grabbing his leg and flipping him, then he scrambles to his feet, his sword ready and looks around puzzled.
The escort calmly gets up and says, “I hope you enjoyed your nap, you missed everything.”
The traveler looks puzzled and says, “That’s never happened before those things must have had some kind of sleeping poison on their claws.” He looks disgusted for a moment then says, “By the way my name is Chatham”
The sandy haired elf says nothing as he retrieves his daggers from where they were tossed aside, before digging through his backpack and not finding what he is looking for.
The first escort carefully watches the woods waiting to see what happens.
Once the blood is removed from his sword the young priest looks around, "Well, that certainly was invigorating! Although I can't imagine what we could have done to annoy these little beggars... perhaps they are just inhospitable to all guests that wander their way. Is anyone hurt? Oh, I'm not sure if I got around to introducing myself before, but I am Lars Wyrdson, one of Arilus' favored sons."
The sandy haired elf asks, "Does anyone have any idea what sort of creatures they were?" He gets up and walks over to the corpse of the last one to die, "I think we should let the authorities know about this. Strange creatures attacking travelers, very unusual indeed."
The second escort snorts, plainly disgusted at their ignorance, “They’re called vegepygmies or in your simple tongue, mold men. They hate everything that isn’t plant based. They attacked because you were there. Normally you don’t find too many of them, but their numbers have been increasing lately and there are other creatures out there as well. That’s why we are escorting you out this far to make sure you don’t get killed nearby.”
The sandy haired elf turns to the annoying little nat and asks, "Well what's your name and how did you find out about this 'great and vast' treasure?"
The man in question looks quite delighted and with a sweeping bow he says, “My name is Lavan Novalis, call me Nova for short, and I knew about the treasure from this map that I have managed to obtain a while ago. An aging adventurer found a really good place to hide his treasure and stored all of his new acquisitions there for years, but for some reason never got back around to coming to use any of his wealth. And now he isn’t able to get them so now it’s our turn to take advantage of his generosity. That’s why I said it was an easy job. We just need to get in there and the treasure is all ours.”
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