The Adventures of The Unknown
Episode 18
"The Death of Garnoth Tilgarn"
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The Seth Thing:
Flesh Golem reanimant of Seth.
Issic: Half Dragon
from Sigil
Manderkarr: Dwarven
master of Axe and Asskicking.
Piper Phoenix I:
Flesh Golem reanimant of Piper
Alexander: Ingaran priest.
Hobsen: Halfling servant
of Elah the Mystic.
Vulmea Konst: Werewolf
Garnoth Tilgarn: Indorian
Ranger Lord, the most powerful ranger
in all of Inzeladun.
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The Place: A Castle in Magyar Szekelys
The Time: Summer, 18 Eul, Sixth Year, Eighth Age.
Flower dreamt of jumping in and out of trees. She
knew she was dreaming, and that she was just trying to escape the nightmare
of being inside of Dalby’s Castle. But she decided to come out of her reverie.
She opened her eyes and saw a terrible thing lurking over her. Partially
humanoid, partially animal, but mostly amoeboid and shadow it leaned over her,
its black orifice opening to engulf her. She screamed and tried to run from
the room. She got nowhere, the ground moving against her just as fast as she
ran. She screamed again.
Issic burst through the door, fangs and claws bared. Manderkarr was right
behind the half dragon. They saw Flower on her bed, screaming, apparently in
the grip of some terrible nightmare. Alexander pushed his way past the militant
pair and gently tried to wake Flower up. She continued her screaming. Soon
Manderkarr and Vulmea joined the priest in shaking the little elf maiden awake. She awoke with a start. Manderkarr said, "Nothing will harm you
now...I'm here and hell will shudder."
Flower took the dwarf’s hand. She looked around and saw Vulmea, Manderkarr,
Issic, Alexander, and the Baby. She did not see Seth or Piper. She did see
a man she did not recognize. She looked up at Manderkarr.
"We met up with another human called Garnoth and some of our party
aren't quite what they was before. The other elf and halfling have been altered."
"Oh, humans. Guess I had best put some clothes on, eh?"
"Only to not distract them too much, missy," said Manderkarr.
Suddenly one of the dwarf’s comments registered on the little elf. "What
do you mean ‘altered’?"
"Let's go and get a move on," said Manderkarr.
"Garnoth, how are we going to kill this thing?" asked Alexander.
The Indorian ranger lord smiled grimly. "We will drive a stake through
its heart and cut off its head, stuffing its mouth with garlic."
"Well, let’s get started. Lead the way, Garnoth. You sound like
you have done this before."
Garnoth left the bedroom and tried the outer door. It was locked. He
raised his massive sword and battered at the heavy door.
"I like this guy already," mumbled Manderkarr. Soon, between
the crashes of his heavy war blade and blows of his booted feet, the door gave
way. He picked up several shards of the door. "Stakes," he said.
Manderkarr and Alexander grabbed up some of the long wooden splinters
for themselves as well. Garnoth moved silently into and along the corridor,
leading the way. Flower looked up at the half dragon and flexed her arms, "He's
strong too."
"Adequately so," said Issic. "Got a good head on his shoulders,
though." Issic picked up a couple of makeshift stakes as well.
There were torches in brackets on the walls, but they were not lit. The
windows along the north wall allowed ample light during the daytime. Cobwebs
filled the hallway, obstructing passage and visibility. Everyone noted that
these cobwebs were not there earlier in the evening. Flower looked around for
spiders. "Hate spiders," she said quietly. She tugged on the priest’s
pant leg. "Will you squash them for me, Alexander?"
"Yes," he replied, drawing out his sword and readying his shield.
Garnoth moved through the cobwebs, uncaring in his quest of the vampires.
Manderkarr met the webs with the same antipathy, plowing through them like a
tank.
"Where’s Seth?" asked Flower.
"Seth," said Vulmea, "went with Dr. Dalby and his bitches.
He is on their side."
"He did? Why?" asked Flower.
"I intend to destroy him," said Garnoth.
"Why didn't you stop him?" asked Flower.
"He was altered by the doctor," explained Manderkarr. "He
believed the doctor would fix his half elveness. And he did, to some degree,
the dumbass."
Flower was confused, not quite understanding what Dr. Dalby did.
Ten minutes later, they were still walking down the corridor, no closer
to the end than they were before. Garnoth looked behind him and cursed.
"What seems to be the problem?" asked Issic.
Garnoth said, "Not only are we no closer to the end, we are no further
from the beginning."
Manderkarr moved along the wall closing my eyes and moving ahead, dragging
his hammer on the stones. Garnoth nodded and followed Manderkarr's example.
Alexander did the same, but kept a mind’s eye out for anything sneaking up on
them. Manderkarr counted and felt the stones, each with it's unique textures
and grains. He stopped, stunned. The textures cried out of tortures and pains
and their longing for the happiness that once reigned in the castle before the
coming of Dr. Dalby.
"Just like a human," muttered Manderkarr. "Never appreciating
the art of stones."
"The Doctor is NOT human!" interjected Flower. "Don't know
what he is, but he’s not human. He smells rotten."
Manderkarr came to the door at the end of the hall. He tugged at it,
but it was locked. Garnoth kicked the door and the frame broke. He shoved with
his shoulder and pushed through. A hairy claw grabbed Garnoth at that instant
and pulled him through with a roar! Garnoth was flung across the room into
a window. The window crashed and Garnoth went flying out of the tower toward
the cliffs below.
Manderkarr bashed up at the thing and the werewolf yelped in pain as his
hammer crashed into it. Using that as a distraction, Flower and Issic pushed
past the hairy guardian and leapt out of the window after Garnoth. Issic tried
to use his wings to speed up and catch the falling ranger, but the ground stopped
both falls. With a crash Issic slammed into the rocks, knocking him nearly
unconscious. Flower floated gently to the rocks. Garnoth’s broken body vanished
– only an illusion. Issic lay on the rocks and just concentrated on breathing.
Flower felt the foamy spray from the surf caress her skin.
The werewolf pressed into Manderkarr, his armor barely turning aside the
claws and fangs. The dwarf was pushed into the ruined door, making his footing
insecure. Manderkarr swung the maul into the wolfling’s legs, knocking it off
its feet into the pile of sticks that used to be a door. It was back on its
feet in almost the same instant.
Alexander filled his sword with the power of Athena and lashed out over
Manderkarr at the werewolf, striking it. It growled and lunged at the priest.
Manderkarr rammed his hammer into the wolf’s belly and pushed him back. Vulmea
tried to get around Manderkarr and Alexander to join in the fray, but could
not.
The wolf managed to pierce the dwarf’s armor, drawing blood with a cruel
claw. Manderkarr dropped his weapons and prepared a different move. The werewolf
let out a yelp as his hammer fell on its toes. It cursed and grappled with
the dwarf, trying to throw him into Alexander, but Manderkarr’s counter grip
unbalanced the werewolf and it fell on top of the dwarf.
"Kill it quick," said Manderkarr, "I hates dog breath!"
Alexander brought his sword down, but missed.
Vulmea used the distraction of the tangle to leap over everyone and get
in behind the werewolf. Standing, the werewolf left himself open to Alexander
and Vulmea and they struck. Manderkarr, still on the ground, rammed his fist
into the werewolf’s belly.
The werewolf roared in anger at the whole lot of them and its wounds healed.
Vulmea started to get angry and make his own metamorphosis.
"Cut its balls off, damn it!" shouted Manderkarr as the werewolf
buried his fangs into Manderkarr's shoulder, piercing armor and flesh alike.
"I can't hold it forever!"
Hobsen, who was behind Alexander in the hallway, threw a dagger into the
werewolf... a silver dagger. The werewolf cried in pain, ripped the dagger
out in one smooth motion, and slammed it into Vulmea's belly.
Vulmea clutched his stomach and wobbles backwards, half man - half wolf.
Vulmea stumbled on something on the floor and fell.
Alexander attacked the werewolf, but it ducked under the swing and attacked
the priest, dropping the silver dagger. Manderkarr grabbed the silver dagger
and drove it into the werewolf. Hobsen threw a second dagger.
Then all the wounds on the werewolf healed again as he continued to maul
at Alexander.
Manderkarr slashes the knife toward the werewolf’s groin. That made the
werewolf mad. He turned on Manderkarr but missed, his claws scraping harmlessly
against the dwarf’s armor. Alexander attacked again, so the wolfman returned
to attacking the priest. All the wounds on the werewolf healed again. Manderkarr
tried to plant the silver dagger into the wolfman’s back, but failed. Hobsen
threw another dagger into the wolfman.
Vulmea got back up and again stumbled on something on the floor. Annoyed
he picks up his sword from where he dropped it.
Flower took the blood off the rocks, and put it back on her demon. She
beckoned the to rocks to take the injuries back from her friend that they gave.
As she beckoned she bandaged his wounds and rubbed his sore bruised muscles.
Soon he was feeling better and he started climbing the walls of the tower to
get back to his companions. Then a long tentacle came shooting out of the sea
water, lashing around Issic’s foot. Issic slashed at the member with a claw.
The tentacle was tougher than he anticipated and his claw practically bounced
off of it.
Way down below, in the depths of the castle, Alyssa spoke to Seth. "I
am in danger. Will you help me?"
"Yes, how?"
"I need you to kill Garnoth," said Alyssa.
"I will. May I ask why?"
Alyssa said, "Because Garnoth intends to kill me, and he intends
to kill you."
"Where is he?"
"He is in the art gallery."
"Where is that?"
Alyssa told Seth where it was.
"Then he will die; I will protect you no matter what." Seth
headed for the art gallery.
"GET DOWN, GUYS!" yelled Alexander. Vulmea dropped to the floor.
Alexander then pushed the power of Athena against the wolf and the wolf vanished.
The werewolf was naught but an illusion. Also covered by illusion was Garnoth,
lying unconscious on the floor of the room, not outside the window.
Alexander went and looked out the window that Issic fell out of. He saw
the half dragon battling something unseen.
Issic grabbed the tentacle and tried to pull it out of the water, but
it was too heavy.
"Any body got a rope?" asked Alexander.
"Yeah, I gots rope." Manderkarr looked for something to tie
the rope off to.
Alexander yelled down to Issic and Flower "Guys! Are you two okay?"
Flower recognized that Issic needed more power. Issic suddenly found
the strength to pull the giant octopus out of the water and slam the gargantuan
thing against the castle wall with a loud splat.
Flower clapped, "I KNEW you could do it!"
"Hey Demon, what cha doing blowing bubbles in the waves?" asked
Manderkarr, unable to see the illusionary octopus Issic was battling.
Garnoth woke up. He said, "There is something sinister in here with
us."
Alexander jumped out the window to reach Issic, levitating down the final
ten feet of the thirty-five foot drop. Issic believed he had killed the illusory
octopus and started to climb back up. Alexander started to levitate back after
explaining to the half-dragon that Garnoth was still in the tower above.
Suddenly, Seth broke in behind Hobsen from another door in the room.
Hobsen turned around and flung a dagger at the thing. Garnoth lifted his sword
and rushed to the attack, yelling, "Die! you unholy creation of evil!"
Manderkarr yelled out the window, "Get up here! We've got company!"
Manderkarr threw the rope out the window. Seth slammed Hobsen against the wall.
"Come and get me, Seth thing!" shouted Manderkarr. "Or
are you even more yaller-bellied now you're more human?"
"I have no wish to harm any of you, except him," said Seth,
spitting at Garnoth.
"We'll he's my friend, Thing, and you'll have to take us all on,
Ugly!" said Manderkarr. Seth lurched forward and his hands, like the stroke
of twin cobras, grasped Garnoth around his throat. His arms were unnaturally
long, and his great hands opened and closed, twitching convulsively. Garnoth
slammed his sword deep into Seth's abdomen, but Seth did not stop exerting his
inhuman strength.
Alexander and Flower floated to the window and they saw Hobsen unconscious
against a wall, blood smeared behind him where he slid down, and Garnoth and
Manderkarr, and Seth in mortal combat. Flower ran to Hobsen.
Issic grabbed Seth, trying to pry his fingers off of Garnoth, but Seth
held on tightly. They stood there like statues, the three of them, their faces
masks of effort, veins standing out on their temples. Garnoth's thin lips drew
back from his teeth in a grinning snarl. Seth's eyes were distended. Issic
snarled as knots and lumps and ropes of thews rose along his massive arms.
All three stood motionless as images, except for the expanding of muscles on
rigid arms and braced legs; strength beyond common conception was warring there,
strength that might have uprooted trees and crushed the skulls of dragons.
Alexander's owl attacked Seth's head unmercifully, but Seth ignored the
scratchings and tearings on his head. The wind whistled suddenly from between
Garnoth's parted teeth. His face was growing purple. Fear flooded his eyes.
His thews seemed ready to burst from his arms and shoulders, yet the muscles
of Seth did not give. The statuesque immobility of the group gave way to sudden,
frenzied motion, as Issic tore away one of Seth's arms and Garnoth let go of
his sword and grasped Seth's other hand, trying desperately to tear away those
inexorable fingers. Seth's other hand found its way back to Garnoth's head,
and with a savage wrench he twisted Garnoth's head around until the ranger's
face leered over the left shoulder and the vertebrae snapped like a rotten branch.
Seth hurled the flopping corpse to the floor and grappled with Issic.
Issic laughed and bore Seth backwards until the small of his back crashed against
a table. And still farther over its edge Issic bent him, back and back. Seth's
back neared the breaking point and he roared in pain.
Meanwhile, Flower took her leaf-dress and wrapped Hobsen's wounds, asking
for the tree to help her friend although she had asked so much of it already.
"Seth why do you do this?" asked Issic through his teeth as
he and Seth continued to battle. The table smashed to bits, and both of them
slammed against the wall.
"To save Alyssa," hissed Seth. "I am done fighting. Do
with me as you wish, I won't hurt my friends."
"Good, we only wish to help you," said Issic. Flower stood
up and threw a potion at the pair, and the potion exploded into flame, enveloping
the pair in its shroud of fire.
Issic, ignoring the fire, threw the flaming flesh golem to the floor,
and Alexander cut off his head with his sword. Manderkarr kicked and pummeled
the burning corpse for good measure and pure satisfaction.
"May you enter then Elysian fields and forget the evil that you have
done here today, friend Seth," prayed Alexander.
Manderkarr tried to smash Seth's head, but it was sturdy and smashed not.
The dwarf picked up the head and hurled it toward the tower window. It stopped
in mid flight and floated in the air, uttering a maniacal laugh.
Suddenly, Seth's headless body stood up, enraged, and flaming. Alexander
tried to agitate Seth's clothes further, but could not concentrate upon it.
Manderkarr hit the headless body with his axe, but the wound healed instantly.
But Garnoth's sword was still in Seth's body. Manderkarr rushed in and grabbed
it, pulling it out and ramming it back in. He also released its lightning power,
and electricity wrapped around Seth like a blanket. The headless body dropped
to the floor.
Seth's head floated out the window and dropped out, continuing the arc
started by Manderkarr's throw toward the window. Flower crouched against Hobsen,
shaking, terrified from what she had seen.
Alexander was unable to do anything for Garnoth Tilgarn. He found a document
thrust into Garnoth's belt. Alexander opened the sealed letter. It said, "This
is the will and testament of Garnoth Tilgarn, Ranger Lord. Sent on a mission
by my friend, Shanagra, I feel my doom upon me. My sword, the Giant Slayer,
I give to Shanagra to give to whom he pleases. My axe, a dragon slayer, I give
to my old friend Grunt the One Handed. My magical gauntlets I give to my son,
whom I love. My Well of Many Worlds, I give to my friend Elah and Hobsen, for
they have shown me several new worlds, all within myself. My lands and livestock,
I give to my son. My armor, I give to my son. Elah warned me that this mission
for Shanagra would be my last, and so my preparation is made. I go without
fear, for I fight evil and will fight it to the last. I go in peace. Remember
me."
"I will remember you," said Manderkarr.
Alexander said, "We need to search Garnoth for anything that might
help Hobsen."
Hobsen, awake, bloody and beaten, swallowed and said, "I am fine."
He asked to be carried to Garnoth's side. "What happened?"
Alexander said, "Seth turned on us. What Dalby did it him warped
his soul and mind as much as his body." The Ingaran carried Hobsen to
Garnoth. Hobsen put his head on Garnoth's chest and cried.
"We'll raze this place and all things related," swore Manderkarr.
"I will put them in hell for all eternity with every drop of blood I have."
Alexander said, "I say that we go after that damn Dalby for Garnoth.
If Seth's uncle sent him on the mission to kill him we owe it to him Shanagra
and the old Seth to try." He gathered up Garnoth's stuff to give back
to Shanagra.
"I will never rest until it is done," said Manderkarr.
They heard footsteps on the ceiling above them. Flower, naked, whimpered
and curled up in terror, shaking. The others listened to the footsteps move
along the floor above. The footsteps stopped at a square cut into the ceiling.
The trap door slowly lifted. Flower whimpered that she wanted to wake up now.
Manderkarr readied his weapons. A man in armor appeared when the trap door
was thrown aside. He kicked down a rope ladder.
"Shanagra sent me," the stranger said.
"Who are you then?" asked Alexander.
"I am Tormund Osric." Said the armored man. "Shanagra sent
me to help the Lord Garnoth on his quest before I resume my journey to be I
knight of the Silvergate"
"Should have got here sooner," said Alexander.
Everyone got 2,000 exp.
Alexander Animus Litus Maximus | Garnoth the Ranger | Finished Campaigns in Inzeladun | Unknown17.doc | The Adventures of The Unknown Chapter 19