 Introspection By: Tigguhr At Mataga's Tigguhr, among others, noted the chief leaving with a disgusted look on his face. 'Its the war' he thought to himself. 'An whut has ye done about it yerself lad?' Tigguhr fingered the amulet he was given to signify his Kuldmordin status. 'Ya's done nuthin but fer thins yerself. Ya nae be opnin a shop if thar be no Mount left tha's fer sure. It be time ta do fer tha Kin! Now git a move on Tigg afore ya end up as tha gully dwarf whut Morad always calls ya.' Tigguhr paid for his last ale and exited Mataga's. Arriving at the mount some time later, he spent some time in the main hall, preparing his equipment and singing with the kin. Afterwards, he trailed Nys out of the hall. He found a few other dwarves waiting to see the Chief. Maybe had been at Mataga's and no doubt went through the same introspection. When his turn finally came he stepped into Nytramo's presence with a tentative bounce. Nys looked up from his desk with a minor scowl, which Tigguhr knew he deserved. "Chief I ken wha yer thinkin' an ya be rite. I be kuldmordin an I shou' be helpin out whi preparations fer war. Whi tha rank come tha responsi, eh responsi, oh, er tha duties." Nys's features softened slightly, "'Bout time ya started contributin lad. Glad ya figgured it out." Tigguhr brightened. "Tha trouble be cheif, wha cin I do. I dinna wants ta gits in tha way o the elders whut doin tha big jobs. Whut I cin do, is nae opens me shop, an start ta stockpile me homegrowed in tha mount, incase we be besieged. An' I cin digs a tunnel from Me garden ta tha mount, so's we can git to it. It be so secluded nae darklin'll find it. "An, I ken a few tricks 'n traps frum tha jungle which cin work in tha tunnels. I be happy ta shows em ta tha kin in charge of defense. I dinna need nae special duties tho. Coral Joe be hankerin' fer some action. I be tha happies' o lads if I simply fite next ta me kin." Nystramo stared the peculiar young dwarf. Tigguhr was a bit slow on the uptake, and had a penchant for getting into trouble, but he was eager. Good in a fight, maybe he did possess a few skills that could be put to use. Unsure, the chief scratched his head trying to come up with an answer. Children of The Earthen Sky By: MoradinSon "Arrogant fool!" Storm MoradinSon fumed to himself. "Ye had nae business a goin off on such foolishness wit th' war so well nigh!" Ignoring the comforts of his bed and bath he doused himself once again in the icy runoff water that filled his forges quenching trough. Wearily he looked up to the everburning forge of his workshop. For as long as he could recall that forge had been more to him than a simple workplace. It had been his worship, his private heaven where his finest and greatest accomplishments were achieved. He knew that his father and his father's father had worked that forge before him and that for four human lifetimes he himself had labored at it nearly every day of his life. Yet the surface of the anvil was not marred at all, rather it was mirrored with a well used gleam and like a silvered stream of molten mithral it shone back at Storm his own image. The anvil image was backlit by the redwhite glow of the forgefire and it seemed to Storm to be changing before his eyes. He blinked away the water which ran down from his unbraided hair and into his face and he ran one massive hand back from his forehead to clear the runnels of wet cold which streamed into his eyes. The image in the mirrored anvil looked back at him with clean, grey, unblinking eyes yet those eyes were not his own. The dwarf in the anvil beckoned to him. " Poppy?" Morad croaked in a small tired voice The dwarf in the anvil gestured toward the forge and the bellows began to pump methdically. The redwhite coals became pink then blue then pure white as the fire's heat became blindingly hot. Storm MoradinSon nodded and stepped toward the glowing forge. He felt himself warmed, he felt himself forged and remade he felt his lifesong within him and recalled his purpose and lifequest. As strong and alive as he had ever been in his long life he stepped from his place of worship to his maker, Moradin the Soul Forger reminded him that his very reason for creation was to be dwarven and to defend all things dwarven. In a Rythmic harmony to the mighty war hymn ringing in the halls of the Lonely Mount, Storm MoradinSon sang a mighty song that spoke of the heritage and responsiblity of being a Child of Moradin. The Forger's hand is ever nigh To the children born neath earthen sky Mount as deep As sky is high Belongs to those He forged to keep The anvil, hammer, mithral vein The blows of Forger hark to rain Down upon the virgin steel Children formed as evil's bane Knee's which ere to the Forger kneel Strength and honor laid to geas Within these souls he forged the key To how the mountains live and die The Forgers pledge is given thee You children born neath earthen sky Honor keep the kingdom given Halls of mount must naer be riven Live and fight and forge and die As Children of the Earthen sky Clad in the finest mithral armor and bearing forth his weapons the revitalized Storm Moradinson went forth to battle. What to do with a Bouncer? By: Nystramo Nys blinked one more time at the odd orange clad dwarf, bouncing slightly before his desk. In truth, he he was never quite sure what to make of Tigguhr, ever since their first awkward encounter. On the one hand he seemed a bit, well... daft; on the other he was a stout kuldar, and had surprisingly shown enough initiative and organization to earn his Kuldmorndin. The chief had had more than a few doubts that the bouncer (as most of the clan had taken to calling him) would make it. And here he was offering up his service to aid in the war. Not that Nys was surprised at the request; he knew Tigguhr was an enthusiastic dwarf, and he knew he cared deeply for the clan. He wasn't surprised; he just didn't know what to do with him. The bouncer's main skill seemed to be... gardening. Fortunately, Tigguhr gave him an answer. "Traps?" the chief asked, raising an eyebrow. Tigguhr's bouncing increased and he smiled excitedly. "Aye, chiefy! I ken a few traps I be bettin' e'en Moradinson nae 'as seen yet! We strings up a few gobs! Whizz! Bang! Har De Doo! It be almos' a' much fun a' trippin' drow!!" Nys chuckled despite himself. Odd or not, Tigguhr could always bring a smile to his face. "Alri' den, bouncer. Off wi' ya ta sees tha Rrin Kuld. Shows 'em what ya gots." His smile widened as he watched Tigguhr bounce off with one more "Har De Doo!" of victory. Fun Ways ta Kill Tha Enemy By: Tigguhr Tigguhr beamed as he bounced out of the chief's office, then he halted abruptly as he realized he would have to present his tricks and traps to Moradinson. Recently Tig and Morad had swung weapons together in the woods (draggin a couple a ganglies along) and the bouncer had great respect for Morad. But he was still very intimidated. Morad had a lot of responsibilities and would probably want no further distractions from the war. Tigguhr knew his ideas had better be good.... Off he went to his little corner of the mount to scratch out a few diagrams. A Dream Begins... By: KAGIS I feel a tight pressure in my chest, and think the pain is going crush me. I trying to take a deep breath, but no air comes. Silence prevails. Somewhere nearby someone is pounding... it sounds like a drum beat... "thump-thump..." Finally, I open my eyes and for a brief moment panic siezes my heart... I can't see! After an agonizingly long moment my vision clears... "whew." Glancing around I notice I am laying on a pile of hay in the corner of stone-heued room. "thump-thump..." In the center of the room stands a large stone forge, hand pump bellows lean against the base. Around the rim of the thick stone forge, a variety of tools are hung with care. Several different sized hammers, tongs, clamps... all neaty arranged. A shiny new mithril anvil stands near the forge, and next to the anvil a bucket of cool water sits. In another corner of the room, a wooden table is piled high with other implements and tools I recognized. It dawns on me, although I don't know how I know it, that this is a blacksmith's workroom. "thump-thump..." "Wall naw... dis be 'bout righ'." I say, as I strugle to my feet. Everything seems awkward, different somehow; but I can't put my finger on it. I look down at my hands as if they belong to someone else. Both hands end in short, almost stubby fingers... the hands are covered in scars. "Funny... I nae remember me 'ands lookin' like dis." One my left hand, on the third finger from the thumb, rests a gold and silver ring. It's a thick band, with intricate carvings along it's length. For some reason I feel like I should recognize it, but I don't. "thump-thump..." I take a deep breath, but even breathing seems out of place here in this room. I walk around the room, scratch my beard... "Wha' tha?" I look down... "Well naw, I donnae 'member 'avin' nae beard." It's long, a rich shade of brown but peppered here and there with shoots of white. "Guess I be older dan I 'member too." I walk over to the bucket and peer in it's depth... my reflection stares back at me, but I might as well be looking at a stranger. From somewhere in the back of my mind, I realize I'm a dwarf... but again that seems out of place to me somehow. With a growing sense of dread, I realize.... "Who am I... I nae 'member me own name." "thump-thump..." I sigh deeply with frustration, "Well, I be a dwarf... dats fer certin. I guess I should start making tings with dis nice forge." I move over to the work table, select a nice long bar of iron and walk back over to the glowing forge. Placing the iron rod in the center of the coals, I take the billows and begin pumping air through the coals making them hotter. Heat radiates from the forge, filling me with warmth as I realized I must have been freezing until just now. Finally, something feels right. "thump-thump..." "thump-thump..." I've been working for countless hours making all maner of items. One I recognize as a long thin sword. The table is now piled high with finished goods, but I don't really remember making them all. Daggers, a lance tip, the head of a war hammer, a small axe made for throwing, steel bolts for a crossbow... the list goes on. I look down at the large axe blade I'm currently hammering to a fine edge. I hesitate... "Who am I? An' why am I makin' all dese weapons?" "thump-thump..." "You be a dwarf," a deep voice sounds from behind me. I whirl around and find myself stairing eye to eye with another dwarf. I can tell that he's no ordinary dwarf. His eyes are coal black, shinning with a deep twinkle. His hair and beard are the deepest shade of red, reminding me of the forge I labor over. He stands a full head taller than me, his body covered with powerfully corded muscles. I feel a sense of reverence... of awe... but I don't know why. "thump-thump..." "Who be ye?" I ask suspiciously, "an' how ye gets in me forge-room?" "That's nae 'portant," he answers. "What be 'portant is dat ye donnae belong 'ere... nae yet anyway." A smile wrinkles his face, and I realize the dwarf before me must be ancient, but he still seems so young! "Who am I? What be me name? I donnae 'member." I ask desperate for answers. His smile seems to lessen slightly at my questions. "I cannae answer yer queschions. but what I can tells ya is dis. Ye donnae belong 'ere in me realm... ye are needed by yer clan for dey be facin' a dire fate. You must go back an' finish yer life with them." He holds up a calloused hand to prevent a stream of more questions I desperately need to ask. "Before ye can go back, ye must 'member who you are. Nae jus' yer name, but the very essense o' yer being. Finish makin' yer axe... make it strong... make it solid... but finish makin' it. It be written dat da makin' of your axe, will remake yer soul. An' yer new axe shall be known as 'Fulcrum.' And nae at thing will stop it's swing." I looked down at the axe I still held in the forge. "Fulcrum," I whispered to it... "yes... Fulcrum." I looked up to thank the stranger, but he was gone. I scratched my head in confusion. Wondering again what my name is. "thump-thump..." "thump-thump..." Has it been days, hours, weeks? I don't know... All my concentration... all my heart... and desire has been in hammering, heating, hammering, and finishing Fulcrum. My hammer raises and falls in a tireless rythm of my own.. matching the odd drum beat. "thump-thump...clang-clang..." I realize that my throat is soar from whispering..."Wha? Wha' 'ave I been sayin' all dis time?" I can't remember. I know they are words I've never heard before, but I'm no longer worried about them, because I know Fulcrum is finished. I plung the massive axe into the bucket of cold water. Steam rises for several minutes, hising. "thump...." The drum beat stops suddenly. "I... I am... Kagis." The memories... everything hits me like a thunderclap. My ears ring, my eyes begin watering... and world goes dark on me. I awake and realize I'm back in the corridor where I had died. My head swims with confusion. Looking down I see the holes in my armor and shield, but my wounds are healed fully. My father's axe lay neatly on top of a wooden case. In my hand rests Fulcrum... my axe... my soul. I see the ring on my left hand, and remember. "Me papies ring o' r'gen'ration." I stand and walk over to the wooden case. Opening it, my eyes go wide with wonder at all the weapons piled within it. "Dese mus' be da odder weapons I made." I carefully strap my father's axe to my back, close and lock the case, and heft it onto my left shoulders. With Fulcrum in my right hand I begin the trek to reach my clansmen. I hope I'm not too late to help in the coming battle against the goblin hoard. Somewhere in the back of my mind I realize that something very wierd happened while I was dead... but I stubbornly refused to think about it. "Dere be more 'portant tings ta werry 'bouts righ' naw. Nae time ta tink 'bout silly dreams." I head off at a trot, taking a side passage to skirt the goblin hoard, and reach the Axepeak halls before them. A New Dark is Dawning By: ZYXOS ::: The Valsharess had offered the blessings of Lloth to the Drow Warriors and Mages being sent off to reinforce the captain.... she watched as they marched past her with blood in their eyes and death in their hearts ::::: she could not help but feel pride in the growth of Rilauven and the glory brought to Lloth under her guidance.... then as she was turning to reenter her throne room her gaze fell upon and stopped at a darkened figure still remaining at the back of the royal "Parade Ground"::: ::: the "stance" of the male identified him as one of only 2 males that could be so insolent.. even in just their posture.... and the livery and armor of the Faern identified him immediately :::: she muttered to herself.... "Curse that insolent Zorak... if any more other than ZYXOS calls him Jabbuk we will ALL welcome the Abyss as relief".... ::: only raising an eyebrow at him was enough to summon ZYXOS into her presence :::: "So... Jabbuk Faern... after all this time you finally seek out your past Ilharess for some reason I hesitate to ask"... the cold voice of Jhaelryna cut through the still darkness.... ::: As the Dark One went to a knee before her, Jhaelryna could not help but smile at her memories of their firey meeting and the "stories" of the two of them that circulated within the temple. ZYXOS was known for his curt nods... (damn that Zorak).. to the females of the temple... but without hesitation he knelt to his former Ilharess... now Valsharess :::: ::: his deep voice resonated through the darkness :::: "You send children to do the work of warriors, my Queen.... and never have you called upon me since your ascension to thy rightful place of power. I come to thee now... to again state my desire to serve our Goddess with my life and my blood. These dimunative children of Moradin have met the goblins.... they have met the captain of your guard... and they are about to meet some of thy vaunted shock troops...." ::: ZYXOS stood and the Valsharess noted the deepening blood red in his eyes... and the strength of his stance... and she was almost afraid of the outcome these precursers normally foretold ::::: "BUT.... they have yet to meet the Dark One of the Drow.... I come now to seek thy approval to move against these gully dwellers in the manner of my Jabbuk... unaided and without hesitation or quarter.... :::ZYXOS' stance widened... and he held his right hand on-high towards the dias of the Queen :::: "all for the glory of Lloth and the Valsharess Jhaelryna I !!!!" ::::during these last words the Obsidion Dagger of Lloth sprang from ZYXOS' boot to his right hand and glowed with a darkening red fire... a dagger Jhaelryna had often heard of... but few who saw it lived to recount of it's presence ::::: ::: with a sly smirk Jhaelryna continued to stare at the Jabbuk Faenr before her... wondering what she might be about to once again unleash upon the realms:::: Whot tha... By: Niord After meeting with his kin one last time, Niord had a feeling of emptyness. Memories....memories of his past....pleasure....pain...family....death.... The visions were to strong.... Niord woke to find himself in the woods. But it was wrong somehow.... The sky was red, there was no sun, and he felt a presence.... He quickly whirled around, readying his axe as he did so. Standing before him....an image of his wife....long dead...and still loved more than life. He reached for her, only to pass through the image. Sadness overcomes Niord, and he falls to his knees wailing.... In his mind....a voice emerges. It is the soft caressing voice of his long dead wife. She soothes his thoughts. He stops his grief and slumps on the ground. "Niord....it be time ye were fergitin o' me....I be long dead, an I kinnae come back...." "But I kinnae ferget...me love....me life..." "Ye mus' lad...ye has ah new 'ome now. Ye has kin...an they be needin ya. Now...if'n ye loves me amuch as ye were always sayin...ye will ferget me an git to ye kin." "I kinnae ferget...." Niords mind blurrs....he awakes in the middle of the woods... "Whot be goin oh 'ere?" He reaches up and feels warm tears on his cheeks....but can't figure why they are there. No one is around.... He sits back trying to remember....but there is no memories to be had. His mind wanders to his (new?) kin. Remembering meeting them....their flashy ways, battle prowess, kinship.... Niord knows something is missing from him....but what he cannot place. A sudden wave of anger passes him. Images of giants and dragons....and a burning hate for them. "Enuf o' wastin time, I gots ta git ta tha mount" About a days walk from the mount he stops in horror. Obvious signs of a massive goblin army are here....going straight for the mount. Without hesitation he picks up his pace....running....and having an overwelming fear of loosing his kin....ans somewhere....knows it has happened before. More Trouble on the Horizon By: Jhaelryna "Very well, Zyxos. You have my leave to operate against the dwarves. Your tasks are to be as follows: You are to collect as much information as possible about the defenses of the Mountain. This includes the physical defenses, and those that are planning and coordinating the security of the Underhalls. This information will be returned to the Academy for review. You are not to directly engage the dwarves in combat. You can, however, dispose of targets of opportunity. Lone patrols, and such." Valsharess Jhaelryna continued speaking quickly and quietly. "You are to watch the goblin attack and look for weaknesses amongst the dwarves. If possible, you are to use the chaos and disruption of the attack to infiltrate the Mount. If you are able to gain entry, you are to locate and eliminate these targets." The queen wrote a number of names on a small parchment, and handed it to Zyxos. As she turned to leave, she smirked. "By the way, Dark One, my soldiers have their own orders. They do not necessarily coincide with yours. Consider yourself to be alone on your mission". Robe flowing out behind her, the Valsharess left Zyxos kneeling alone in the courtyard. Jungle Tricks 1 By: Tigguhr Moradinson strolled with Emmrald through the ornamentals in Tigguhr's garden. Eyes locked on each other, they nearly both tripped over a low table blocking the path. Tigguhr, sitting at a small stool, was as surprised as the couple. The jungle dwarf let out a loud "WHAAA" and fell backwards into a pile of compost. Papers flew everywhere. Standing up, his black and orange skin now quite soiled, he greeted his kin. "Me apologies kin, I whar workin' on me traps! Helps yerself ta a nibble er a posie if ya likes. Oh 'n Morad, tha chief sayed I shou' shows ya me traps wha' I learnt in tha jungle. It cin waits a bit tho, seeins how ya gots some strollin' time with tha lass." Moradinson gave a sideways look to Emmy. "As if I dinna has 'nuf ta deals with..." thought Morad. "Well'n lad, if Nystramo sayed, then ya meets me in tha main hall first thing in tha morn. An' ya gits a wash first-ye smells like a gully dwarf!" Tigguhr jumped to attention and snapped a salute and the couple strolled off. Jungle Tricks 2 By: Tigguhr In the morning, Tigguhr, freshly washed, showed up in the main hall with several baskets of meats, bread, roasted vegetables and a small keg of Special. He emptied the contents onto a table where Moradinson sat waiting, but he set one basket to the side. "Warnin' ya kin-dinna eats frum tha basket. Ya sees why in a bit." Morad let out a satisfied grunt, tucked in to the breakfast, and motioned the bouncer to begin talking. So Tigguhr, nervous and hoping to impress, began his little presentation. "Ya gots ta ken tha enemy. Which I ken ya do. But wha do we ken?" Tigguhr asked rhetorically. "Drowie floats. Drowie detects traps whi magix. Drowie ha' lots of protectie spells. Soes, ya gats ta have traps whut cin be set off by tha kin, traps whut nae look like traps, an' double traps. Gits em riled up, kills a bunch, makes em waste thur foul magix rite?" He then layed out a series of eight diagrams detailing his ideas. Jungle Tricks 3 By: Tigguhr Moradinson ate his breakfast and looked carefully at what Tigguhr presented. Each diagram was titled across the top. Tigguhr took Moradinson through each in turn .... DOUBLE TROUBLE. Slightly obvious pit trap right in front of a second shallow pit, sand filled that matches and appears to be floor, contains fine mesh connected via string to poisonous gas canisters in cieling. Step on mesh, pulls string, opens poison container. GITS THA FLOATERS-INVERSE PIT. Fine wire trip wires on floor walls and ceiling releases floor stone slab which crashes up via springs. PORKEYPINES. Dozens of holes bored in wall. Greased Manticore spines inserted.Grease makes it air tight. Moss conceals holes. Spine filled wall is backed by passage. Stone slab cut from passage wall, hollowed out to create air space. Slab is greased on edges then replaced to form air tight seal. Kin fires all spines from safety of adjecent passage by slamming into slab, using forced air to fill hallway with spines. FAKE TREASURE. Fake treasure out of normal metals, gold plate and cheap gems-many magic looking items.. Contact poison covers treasure. Poison plants from garden. Jungle Tricks 4 By: Tigguhr Tigguhr continued showing his designs as Morad munched. The final diagrams showed: HOLY ROLLER, DROW VARIATION. Build steam roller vehicle, big stone wheels, long chains attached to wheels. Good for clearin a path. Drow might Dim Door behind roller, so build an archer platform on back. FUNNY FUNNEL TUNNEL. Narrow the tunnels in crucial places to size of one kin. Ffalse walls farther back in hallway allow kin to attack jammed up intruders from behind. TEARS OF A DROW. Noxious pepper pots from garden are thrown or fired with sling, explodes, causing nausea and watery eyes in small radius (Tigguhr opened the extra basket to reveal numerous little red round peppers). MAGIC ROCK SHOCKER. Magnetized rocks that on contact they sets off a dispel magic spell. Line tha approach corriders with them. The diagram showed rocks jumping up from the ground to attach themselves to the metal of drow weapons or armor. Tigguhr finished by saying, "Now I dinna ken 'ow tha clan feeled abou' usin' magic an' poison fer trappin bu' whi' tha Mount itself at stake, I dinna want to...." Morad finished looking at the diagrams and looked at the bouncer. Tigguhr's voice trailed off. He became silent, nervously bouncing in front of the elder, hoping that his ideas could help. The Approach By: ZYXOS ::: As Jhaelryna turned to leave she used her powers as a Yathtallar of Lloth and read the mind of ZYXOS :::: "As if I would prefer it any other way, my Queen... LLOTH TLU MALLA" ::::: :::Jhaelryna shook her head and grinned... she had forgotten how exilerating this Dark One could be :::: :::ZYXOS trailed the Drow Shock Troops as they made their way towards the delves of the Dwarves. Several times the scouts and patrols seemed to sense that someone was about... but they could never find nor see him ::: He would begin his work as he reached the area of the fighting between the goblins and the dwarves... and... as his Valsharess had suggested... infiltrate the underrealms of the Dwarves to see what he could see.... and do.... Kagis Returns... By: KAGIS The dwarven guards stood vigilent as they monitored the handfull of tunnels leading from the underdark into Clan Axepeak's delves. Moradinson has ordered regular shift changes to keep the warriors fresh in case the goblin hoard attacked at any moment. The guards watched the tunnels with wary eyes. One guard assigned to a rather small side tunnel called out a spot. The guard captain trotted over to the side tunnel to see what the commotion was about. He got to the tunnel just as Kagis stumbled out of it. The exhausted dwarf stumbled into view, carrying a large wooden case on his back and an incredible axe in his fighting hand. His armor was cut and torn in ways that suggested wounds no one should have survived; but somehow Kagis had. "Kagis! Wha' dis be 'bout?" the captain asked. Kagis's eyes shifted in a crazy manner and his jerky motions worried the captain. When Kagis didn't respond immediately, the captain grabbed the struggling dwarf by the shoulders, steadied him, and staired him in the eye. "Kagis! Come 'round now. I says, wha' be goin' on? Where da rest o' ye scoutin' group and Dwyvyrn? Wha...." Kagis seemed to suddenly snap back from wherever his crazed mind had been wandering. "Nae time fer dat now goo' cappy. Is gots ta sees da Chief!" Without another word Kagis hefted the case onto his back, adjusted his hold on the axe and continued on; heading for the where the war headquarters was located in the main hall. After he left, the guard captain looked around at this troups and called out, "Loo' alive now! Da goblin coul' show dere ugly faces any time now!" Report of Scouting Mission... By: KAGIS Nystramo sat at a stout table set up in the war room. Piles of paper covered every spot, reporting on the advancing goblin hoard and the dwarven defensive preparations. He was currently studying the last scout report to come in... it was two days old and the scout had spotted the goblin goard less than a day away from the Mount when he'd sent the report. Scratching his chin Nystramo pondered the odd manner of attack, "I wonders wha' dem goblin be up to... wha' are dey waitin' fer?" Just then a commotion outside the room caught his attention. "Guard! Wha' be all dat noise fer? Are da goblin attackin'?" Nystramo asked almost hopefully. He didn't like this waiting, and the more he waiting the more nervous he was getting. "Nae da goblins Chief..." the guard called back... "Kagis ha' return'd an' 'nsists on speakin' whit ye." Nystramo could believe it... "Wha' are ye waitin' fer guard? Send 'em in now!" The guard stepped aside and Kagis stepped into view, clutching a massive axe in his right hand, and carrying what looked like a chest on his back. Kagis nodded his head at Nystramo, and then launched into a quick but thurough explanation of how Dwyvyrn and his scouting parties had attacked the goblin hoard. Nystramo was disturbed to hear that Kagis hadn't heard from Dwyvyrn for several days and had lost his two scoutmates, but what disturbed Nystramo more was Kagis' explanation of the goblin elite hammer warriors. Finally Kagis finished his tale explaining that he must of 'blacked out and the goblins just didn't check to see if he was still alive after the last battle.' Judging from the cuts and dents in Kagis' armor Nystramo didn't believe for a minute that Kagis had "blacked out," but now wasn't the time for such debates. Nystramo looked Kagis over, noticing that the stubborn warrior looked more dead than alive, but only asked, "Whas in da box?" Kagis grinned, "special weapons ta use 'gainst dem goblin hammers." Kagis placed the case on the ground, and openned the lid. Stacked inside were dozens of mithril swords, axes, and hammers. In addition, five special Axepeak crossbows and what looked to be over 100 mithril bolts lay inside the case. The crossbows were not made from carved oak (as most of the Axebows were), these were made entirely of mithril steel. "As I figure it, dese Axebows and bolts shou' pu' a bolt clean through stone thicker dan I be tall." Kagis added noticing Nystramo carefully examining one. If anything Kagis was underestimating the punch these weapons would have in close quarters. Nystramo nodded his approval. Kagis turned to leave, his report finished but Nystramo reached out and grabbed Kagis by the shoulder. "Hold on dere lad. Dem cuts in yer armor... dey loo' perty bad. Wha' happen' ou' dere?" Kagis looked down and Nystramo could see his eyes water slightly. Kagis finally answered, "I dinnae tink I cans answer yer ques'chion Nys. I dinnae think I really ken wha' happen to me..." Kagis sighed, "I nae even sure I wants ta ken." Without another word Kagis left Nystramo to go change into his spare suit of armor, get a few mugs of Axepeak Special to restore his energy and head where Kagis expected the toughest fighting to be. In front.
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