Pogre's New Story Hour with Mini pics - (12/7 The Final Update)
pogre
Legend
Episode 36
Genuine Genie Madness
The somber group returned to Derlon wherein Sister Hilde appealed to her temple to resurrect the fallen Quarion.
“Sister, it is against the ways of the elves to call a Titan back to this world,” the Mother Superior explained her refusal.
“Quarion was not a Titan, Mother Superior,” Hilde replied.
“Oh,” the Mother Superior’s voice echoed her surprise. “What was his faith?”
“I do not know,” Hilde admitted.
“Was he sympathetic to Opheria?” Mother Superior continued to probe.
“He appreciated my faith,” Hilde responded.
“You are dodging the question sister, am I to understand he was without a strong faith or any faith at all?”
Mother Superior had hit at the core of the matter as usual, and there was no use in Hilde denying it. “He seemed to be without faith Mother Superior.”
“Then, you must know, I cannot acquiesce to your request.”
“Mother Superior, there are other forces at work here. I believe ardently Quarion is part of my mission for our Goddess,” Hilde pleaded.
“You have been granted another vision?” Mother Superior asked.
“No, it is a feeling,” Hilde responded.
“I will pray on this: Come to me tomorrow.”
“Thank you Mother Superior. That is all I can ask.” Hilde left the chamber and said a short prayer to Opheria.
…..
Gerhardt and Gjord were waiting outside the temple and stood as Hilde came out the sanctuary doors. “Well?” Gerhardt asked.
“I must return tomorrow,” Hilde answered honestly. “I cannot say whether Quarion will be raised or not. His faithlessness hurt his chances.”
“Understandable,” Gjord commented.
“Whose side are you on?” Gerhardt growled. “If they can do it, they should do it.”
“I wish it were that simple,” Hilde began to explain. “A resurrection of the departed costs considerable resources. The temple cannot do this very often. Only through Opheria is it possible, and it must serve the goddess’s purposes.”
Gjord looked to Gerhardt, “Perhaps you should explore a faith?”
“Hey, not me,” Gerhardt objected. “First of all, it sounds like your goddess is not any different than me. She only does something if it benefits her directly. I understand that, but count me out as a cog in her wheel – or any other for that matter.”
Gjord argued, “but don’t you see…”
“You’re wasting your time, Gjord,” Hilde cut the ranger off. “True faith comes from within, not from external concerns. Gerhardt will come to faith in his own time.”
“Yeah, let me spell out that timetable for you: N – E – V – E – R,” Gerhadt said mockingly.
“Where is our Magnificent companion?” Hilde asked Gjord.
“Back in the lab cooking,” Gjord answered. “He said to come get him when we are ready to return.”
“Surely we have settled your debt?” Hilde asked. “I do not believe we need to return if we choose not to.”
“Oh, we’re going back,” Gerhardt interjected. “No way I’m leaving that hole without cleaning out every scrap.”
…..
The next morning Hilde received the amazing news, the temple was going to resurrect Quarion. However, it came with a price, she had to agree to a holy quest reinforced by geas in the future. She winced to think of what kind of mission would require a geas on her, but she agreed readily. That afternoon the rites were performed and Quarion joined his companions for dinner as he reoriented himself to the world of the living.
“We should travel tomorrow morning,” Luka proposed.
“Let Quarion recover. Resurrection is very disorienting. Trust me I know.” Hilde winked casually at the last comment. She inwardly shook as she relived that scene so long ago when a troll tore her to pieces.
“I agree with Luka,” Gerhardt countered. “We need to get back there as quickly as possible.”
Quarion raised his glass of port, “We leave tomorrow.”
…..
The return to the dungeon was uneventful, but Quarion was noticeably hesitant to reenter the depths. Overcoming his anxiety the Elf delved with the rest of the group. Several of the passageways were choked with rubble, but the group did discover a room intact. Gerhardt kicked open the door revealing an opulent bedroom occupied by a handsome, tall man and a graceful, beautiful woman.
“Be carefully my friends!” Luka called out. “I, Luka AlQueme the Magnificent, believe these to be desert spirits – Djinn’s!”
Quarion charged into the chamber.
“Do you ever learn?” Gjord complained loudly to Quarion.
The two creatures had disappeared.
“There still here,” Gjord growled, “cover the doors.” The group quickly fanned out searching for the creatures.
Almost on cue the two creatures reappeared and attacked the split party.
The melee ensued in furious fashion with Gerhardt striking a mighty blow against the male. The female disappeared from the hand-to-hand and appeared behind Gerhardt. She sunk her dagger deeply into the flanked fighter.
Hilde and Quarion quickly paced over to the female and Gerhardt turned his wrath on her as well.
The female, realizing her new position was most precarious left the melee. Her male companion left to the mob was cut down by several blades. She sought to escape, but Gjord blocked her path.
The female Djinn screamed in defiance and Gjord cut her down with a vicious blow. The group stopped for a moment staring at each other.
“Little help,” Gerhardt said. He reached around to his back and pulled his blood-soaked hands back from the dagger wounds. Hilde went to the fighter and cured him.
A search of the room yielded two fair-sized treasure chests, but no alchemical tomes or tools.
“I am sated. We should head back to the city.” Luka began to head out the door. The group followed him back to the city.
……
“This is goodbye for now my friends,” Luka said.
“Really?” Gjord asked
“Yes, my place is in the laboratory and library,” Luka responded.
“It looked like you could handle yourself pretty well in the real world,” Quarion commented.
“Thank you fair Quarion, you are too kind.”
Luka departed from the company. Shortly thereafter a messenger arrived.
“Who here is Quarion?” the messenger asked the barkeep.
“I am,” Quarion stood and motioned the messenger over.
The messenger handed the elf a scroll. As Quari0on read the parchment the color left his face. “I need to go.”
“What is it Quarion?” Hilde asked.
“Some friends of mine need help,” Quarion responded.
“Then we shall all go,” Hilde announced.
“I would be grateful,” Quarion stated.
“Yeah, yeah, why not? I was just going to sit around here, drink ale and grab some whores. Why wouldn’t I give that up to help some pointy-eared types?” Gerhardt lifted himself from his chair with heavy sigh.
To be continued…
Genuine Genie Madness
The somber group returned to Derlon wherein Sister Hilde appealed to her temple to resurrect the fallen Quarion.
“Sister, it is against the ways of the elves to call a Titan back to this world,” the Mother Superior explained her refusal.
“Quarion was not a Titan, Mother Superior,” Hilde replied.
“Oh,” the Mother Superior’s voice echoed her surprise. “What was his faith?”
“I do not know,” Hilde admitted.
“Was he sympathetic to Opheria?” Mother Superior continued to probe.
“He appreciated my faith,” Hilde responded.
“You are dodging the question sister, am I to understand he was without a strong faith or any faith at all?”
Mother Superior had hit at the core of the matter as usual, and there was no use in Hilde denying it. “He seemed to be without faith Mother Superior.”
“Then, you must know, I cannot acquiesce to your request.”
“Mother Superior, there are other forces at work here. I believe ardently Quarion is part of my mission for our Goddess,” Hilde pleaded.
“You have been granted another vision?” Mother Superior asked.
“No, it is a feeling,” Hilde responded.
“I will pray on this: Come to me tomorrow.”
“Thank you Mother Superior. That is all I can ask.” Hilde left the chamber and said a short prayer to Opheria.
…..
Gerhardt and Gjord were waiting outside the temple and stood as Hilde came out the sanctuary doors. “Well?” Gerhardt asked.
“I must return tomorrow,” Hilde answered honestly. “I cannot say whether Quarion will be raised or not. His faithlessness hurt his chances.”
“Understandable,” Gjord commented.
“Whose side are you on?” Gerhardt growled. “If they can do it, they should do it.”
“I wish it were that simple,” Hilde began to explain. “A resurrection of the departed costs considerable resources. The temple cannot do this very often. Only through Opheria is it possible, and it must serve the goddess’s purposes.”
Gjord looked to Gerhardt, “Perhaps you should explore a faith?”
“Hey, not me,” Gerhardt objected. “First of all, it sounds like your goddess is not any different than me. She only does something if it benefits her directly. I understand that, but count me out as a cog in her wheel – or any other for that matter.”
Gjord argued, “but don’t you see…”
“You’re wasting your time, Gjord,” Hilde cut the ranger off. “True faith comes from within, not from external concerns. Gerhardt will come to faith in his own time.”
“Yeah, let me spell out that timetable for you: N – E – V – E – R,” Gerhadt said mockingly.
“Where is our Magnificent companion?” Hilde asked Gjord.
“Back in the lab cooking,” Gjord answered. “He said to come get him when we are ready to return.”
“Surely we have settled your debt?” Hilde asked. “I do not believe we need to return if we choose not to.”
“Oh, we’re going back,” Gerhardt interjected. “No way I’m leaving that hole without cleaning out every scrap.”
…..
The next morning Hilde received the amazing news, the temple was going to resurrect Quarion. However, it came with a price, she had to agree to a holy quest reinforced by geas in the future. She winced to think of what kind of mission would require a geas on her, but she agreed readily. That afternoon the rites were performed and Quarion joined his companions for dinner as he reoriented himself to the world of the living.
“We should travel tomorrow morning,” Luka proposed.
“Let Quarion recover. Resurrection is very disorienting. Trust me I know.” Hilde winked casually at the last comment. She inwardly shook as she relived that scene so long ago when a troll tore her to pieces.
“I agree with Luka,” Gerhardt countered. “We need to get back there as quickly as possible.”
Quarion raised his glass of port, “We leave tomorrow.”
…..
The return to the dungeon was uneventful, but Quarion was noticeably hesitant to reenter the depths. Overcoming his anxiety the Elf delved with the rest of the group. Several of the passageways were choked with rubble, but the group did discover a room intact. Gerhardt kicked open the door revealing an opulent bedroom occupied by a handsome, tall man and a graceful, beautiful woman.
“Be carefully my friends!” Luka called out. “I, Luka AlQueme the Magnificent, believe these to be desert spirits – Djinn’s!”
Quarion charged into the chamber.
“Do you ever learn?” Gjord complained loudly to Quarion.
The two creatures had disappeared.
“There still here,” Gjord growled, “cover the doors.” The group quickly fanned out searching for the creatures.
Almost on cue the two creatures reappeared and attacked the split party.
The melee ensued in furious fashion with Gerhardt striking a mighty blow against the male. The female disappeared from the hand-to-hand and appeared behind Gerhardt. She sunk her dagger deeply into the flanked fighter.
Hilde and Quarion quickly paced over to the female and Gerhardt turned his wrath on her as well.
The female, realizing her new position was most precarious left the melee. Her male companion left to the mob was cut down by several blades. She sought to escape, but Gjord blocked her path.
The female Djinn screamed in defiance and Gjord cut her down with a vicious blow. The group stopped for a moment staring at each other.
“Little help,” Gerhardt said. He reached around to his back and pulled his blood-soaked hands back from the dagger wounds. Hilde went to the fighter and cured him.
A search of the room yielded two fair-sized treasure chests, but no alchemical tomes or tools.
“I am sated. We should head back to the city.” Luka began to head out the door. The group followed him back to the city.
……
“This is goodbye for now my friends,” Luka said.
“Really?” Gjord asked
“Yes, my place is in the laboratory and library,” Luka responded.
“It looked like you could handle yourself pretty well in the real world,” Quarion commented.
“Thank you fair Quarion, you are too kind.”
Luka departed from the company. Shortly thereafter a messenger arrived.
“Who here is Quarion?” the messenger asked the barkeep.
“I am,” Quarion stood and motioned the messenger over.
The messenger handed the elf a scroll. As Quari0on read the parchment the color left his face. “I need to go.”
“What is it Quarion?” Hilde asked.
“Some friends of mine need help,” Quarion responded.
“Then we shall all go,” Hilde announced.
“I would be grateful,” Quarion stated.
“Yeah, yeah, why not? I was just going to sit around here, drink ale and grab some whores. Why wouldn’t I give that up to help some pointy-eared types?” Gerhardt lifted himself from his chair with heavy sigh.
To be continued…
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Do my eyes deceive?
An update to my favorite story hour?!
Funny no one seems to do resurrections for free anymore..............
An update to my favorite story hour?!
Funny no one seems to do resurrections for free anymore..............
pogre
Legend
Episode 37
The Final Update
“Gerhardt, Gerhardt! Can you hear me?” E’lissar nudged the fighter roughly.
“Who’s there?” Gerhardt slurred. He raised his head from the table and a great line of drool trailed from his chin to a puddle where his head had rest.
“Your purse is gone,” E’lissar commented looking at the cut strings dangling from Gerhardt’s belt.
“No matter. There’s more.” Gerhardt lowered his head once again.
“Tell me, where are the others,” E’lissar shook Gerhardt trying to get a response.
“”orrible, jes’ ‘orrible,” Gerhardt whimpered and put his head down again.
“Please, where is Quarion? Answer this one query and you may nap in peace,” the frustration of the moment was creeping into E’lissar’s voice.
Gerhardt moaned something and was fast asleep.
…..
E’lissar moved to Luka AlQueme’s door gingerly, and knocked quietly.
“Come back in the morning,” came Luka’s response from inside.
“It is I, E’lissar. I am seeking Hilde and Gjord. Do you know of their whereabouts?”
The door opened a crack and Luka peeked around in a night shirt and a long night cap. “How would I know? Are they missing?”
“I can only find Gerhardt and he is drunk.”
“Allow me to fetch a tonic and get dressed,” Luka opened the door wide and motioned for E’lissar to enter.
Luka came back down in short order carrying a vial.
“What is that?” E’lissar asked.
“Something to coax some answers out of our friend, Gerhardt,” Luka answered. He yawned and stretched and said, “Let us go, the Magnificent Luka AlQueme must return to his slumber soon.”
…..
“Drink this,” E’lissar commanded.
Gerhardt clumsily quaffed the vial and half choked as the liquid slid down his throat. Immediately, his eyes enlivened and in half shock he drew back from the pair.
“Where is Hilde?” E’lissar asked patiently.
“Gone, dead and for good,” Gerhardt’s eyes misted over.
E’lissar sat down heavily in a chair next to the fighter and Luka covered his mouth with his hand.
“What happened?” E’lissar finally managed after a lengthy silence.
“There were too many…” Gerhardt started.
“From the beginning,” Luka demanded gently.
“Very well,” Gerhardt drank deeply from his warm ale. “It all started as a call for help from pointy-ear types. I should have known that was trouble.
Quarion received a message from a relative that his daughter had been kidnapped and he needed help right away. Like fools we agreed to go along. Hey, where is Ranin?” Quarion asked interrupting himself.
“He has a spiritual experience in the Hunt. We may not see him for some time. Please continue and try to focus.” E’lissar patted Gerhardt on the shoulder.
“So, we met this pointy-eared type who said his daughter had been stolen by some large humanoids. He had no real money, but said the lord of the area had offered 500 gold for the head of the brigand leader. That was enough, and so off we went trailing the humanoids.
The trail was easy to find and led to a cave in the side of the hills. We approached and found a set of large iron doors. While we contemplated how we were going to enter three huge Bugbears burst forth. We killed ‘em, but it was tough and quite a bit of healing magic was used up in the process.
So, we went in and found a small chamber where one of the brutes was sleeping. We killed him and found a bit of coin for our efforts. So Quarion moves ahead and scouts. He finds another set of doors and tells us to get ready.
The door opens to a huge chamber lit by two large bonfires. There were at least twenty Bugbears and so I say, ‘Let’s run!’, but in goes Quarion. Gjord follows and then Hilde. Well then, I have no choice I go in too.
Things were not going great, but we were making some progress. Suddenly, I spy the biggest Ogre I have ever seen coming up from behind us. He has a huge dark club and it comes crashing down on Quarion’s skull. Quarion’s head split like a melon, spraying his gray noodle everywhere – black tendrils sprouted out of his body and his corpse looked like it had been burned in a great fire.
I shouted at the others and we began to leave. Gjord had to fight his way through a couple of Bugbears. Hilde stopped to heal him and we made a fighting exit. The Bugbears and the Ogre kept coming. We could not drink healing potions fast enough.
Gjord and I stood toe to toe with the Ogre so Hilde could escape. We managed to work our way through the original iron doors and bar them.”
“So then you left?” Luka asked.
“No, although that was the course I urged. Gjord scouted around for a backdoor and Hilde spent her remaining spells healing us. We were talking about where to camp and suddenly the Ogre and a half dozen Bugbears appeared before us! The bastards had teleported in.
We were stuck in with no real healing magic or hope for escape. Gjord and I concentrated on the Ogre and we had him fairly wounded. That great club came down again and smashed into Gjord. His spine was snapped. He looked like a fighting dummy cut in twain by a great axe. The same dark tendrils sprouted from around him and in seconds he looked like a burnt husk.
I retreated from one side and could not see where Hilde was.She had already retreated, but the Bugbears where hot on her trail and she could not lose them. The ogre did not pursue me. I assume he was too badly wounded to press his advantage. As I recovered and tried to work my way around to Hilde, I saw her fall.” Gerhardt stopped and took another deep draft from his ale cup.
“Are you sure they killed her?” E’lissar asked.
“I am sure,” Gerhardt answered grimly. “They cut her to pieces and then began fighting over her like wolves on a deer. Her body was shredded and they began to eat parts of her right there, before dragging the remnants back to the cave.”
“I will go with you. We will avenge this loss,” E’lissar offered.
“No, no more pointy-eared types for me. Your whole race can die as far as I’m concerned. I plan on sitting here and drinking the rest of my days. I have a few thousand gold saved up and I figure my liver will give up long before my money does.”
“That’s it then?” E’lissar asked. “We’re done?”
“Aye,” Gerhardt answered and a glazed look returned to his eyes. The fighter set his head back down on the table.
“The sobering elixir has worn off,” Luka noted. The pair left the inn, alone in their thoughts and sadly walked away to another life.
The End.
The Final Update
“Gerhardt, Gerhardt! Can you hear me?” E’lissar nudged the fighter roughly.
“Who’s there?” Gerhardt slurred. He raised his head from the table and a great line of drool trailed from his chin to a puddle where his head had rest.
“Your purse is gone,” E’lissar commented looking at the cut strings dangling from Gerhardt’s belt.
“No matter. There’s more.” Gerhardt lowered his head once again.
“Tell me, where are the others,” E’lissar shook Gerhardt trying to get a response.
“”orrible, jes’ ‘orrible,” Gerhardt whimpered and put his head down again.
“Please, where is Quarion? Answer this one query and you may nap in peace,” the frustration of the moment was creeping into E’lissar’s voice.
Gerhardt moaned something and was fast asleep.
…..
E’lissar moved to Luka AlQueme’s door gingerly, and knocked quietly.
“Come back in the morning,” came Luka’s response from inside.
“It is I, E’lissar. I am seeking Hilde and Gjord. Do you know of their whereabouts?”
The door opened a crack and Luka peeked around in a night shirt and a long night cap. “How would I know? Are they missing?”
“I can only find Gerhardt and he is drunk.”
“Allow me to fetch a tonic and get dressed,” Luka opened the door wide and motioned for E’lissar to enter.
Luka came back down in short order carrying a vial.
“What is that?” E’lissar asked.
“Something to coax some answers out of our friend, Gerhardt,” Luka answered. He yawned and stretched and said, “Let us go, the Magnificent Luka AlQueme must return to his slumber soon.”
…..
“Drink this,” E’lissar commanded.
Gerhardt clumsily quaffed the vial and half choked as the liquid slid down his throat. Immediately, his eyes enlivened and in half shock he drew back from the pair.
“Where is Hilde?” E’lissar asked patiently.
“Gone, dead and for good,” Gerhardt’s eyes misted over.
E’lissar sat down heavily in a chair next to the fighter and Luka covered his mouth with his hand.
“What happened?” E’lissar finally managed after a lengthy silence.
“There were too many…” Gerhardt started.
“From the beginning,” Luka demanded gently.
“Very well,” Gerhardt drank deeply from his warm ale. “It all started as a call for help from pointy-ear types. I should have known that was trouble.
Quarion received a message from a relative that his daughter had been kidnapped and he needed help right away. Like fools we agreed to go along. Hey, where is Ranin?” Quarion asked interrupting himself.
“He has a spiritual experience in the Hunt. We may not see him for some time. Please continue and try to focus.” E’lissar patted Gerhardt on the shoulder.
“So, we met this pointy-eared type who said his daughter had been stolen by some large humanoids. He had no real money, but said the lord of the area had offered 500 gold for the head of the brigand leader. That was enough, and so off we went trailing the humanoids.
The trail was easy to find and led to a cave in the side of the hills. We approached and found a set of large iron doors. While we contemplated how we were going to enter three huge Bugbears burst forth. We killed ‘em, but it was tough and quite a bit of healing magic was used up in the process.
So, we went in and found a small chamber where one of the brutes was sleeping. We killed him and found a bit of coin for our efforts. So Quarion moves ahead and scouts. He finds another set of doors and tells us to get ready.
The door opens to a huge chamber lit by two large bonfires. There were at least twenty Bugbears and so I say, ‘Let’s run!’, but in goes Quarion. Gjord follows and then Hilde. Well then, I have no choice I go in too.
Things were not going great, but we were making some progress. Suddenly, I spy the biggest Ogre I have ever seen coming up from behind us. He has a huge dark club and it comes crashing down on Quarion’s skull. Quarion’s head split like a melon, spraying his gray noodle everywhere – black tendrils sprouted out of his body and his corpse looked like it had been burned in a great fire.
I shouted at the others and we began to leave. Gjord had to fight his way through a couple of Bugbears. Hilde stopped to heal him and we made a fighting exit. The Bugbears and the Ogre kept coming. We could not drink healing potions fast enough.
Gjord and I stood toe to toe with the Ogre so Hilde could escape. We managed to work our way through the original iron doors and bar them.”
“So then you left?” Luka asked.
“No, although that was the course I urged. Gjord scouted around for a backdoor and Hilde spent her remaining spells healing us. We were talking about where to camp and suddenly the Ogre and a half dozen Bugbears appeared before us! The bastards had teleported in.
We were stuck in with no real healing magic or hope for escape. Gjord and I concentrated on the Ogre and we had him fairly wounded. That great club came down again and smashed into Gjord. His spine was snapped. He looked like a fighting dummy cut in twain by a great axe. The same dark tendrils sprouted from around him and in seconds he looked like a burnt husk.
I retreated from one side and could not see where Hilde was.She had already retreated, but the Bugbears where hot on her trail and she could not lose them. The ogre did not pursue me. I assume he was too badly wounded to press his advantage. As I recovered and tried to work my way around to Hilde, I saw her fall.” Gerhardt stopped and took another deep draft from his ale cup.
“Are you sure they killed her?” E’lissar asked.
“I am sure,” Gerhardt answered grimly. “They cut her to pieces and then began fighting over her like wolves on a deer. Her body was shredded and they began to eat parts of her right there, before dragging the remnants back to the cave.”
“I will go with you. We will avenge this loss,” E’lissar offered.
“No, no more pointy-eared types for me. Your whole race can die as far as I’m concerned. I plan on sitting here and drinking the rest of my days. I have a few thousand gold saved up and I figure my liver will give up long before my money does.”
“That’s it then?” E’lissar asked. “We’re done?”
“Aye,” Gerhardt answered and a glazed look returned to his eyes. The fighter set his head back down on the table.
“The sobering elixir has worn off,” Luka noted. The pair left the inn, alone in their thoughts and sadly walked away to another life.
The End.
Say it isn't so... but I suppose all good things come to an end.pogre said:Yep. Unbelievable eh?
Note the new sig line with a conspicuous absence
We'll be here on your next SH.
Thanks for a really good read (your SH is one of a handful I keep up with, so you're up there with Sep, Destan, ...)
Elder-Basilisk
First Post
Sad. But Gerhardt is/was a survivor. Hopefully you will pick up the dice again sometime and avenge the deaths of his comrades.
pogre said:Yep. Unbelievable eh?
Note the new sig line with a conspicuous absence
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