Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Small Beginnings - Final Update 6/18/04, ITEOTWAWKI, AIFF!
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="dshai527" data-source="post: 376812" data-attributes="member: 4469"><p><strong>Ander and the Bear: Part III</strong></p><p></p><p>Alright people, here it is, the finale for Ander and the Bear. </p><p></p><p>Oh and the tip O' the Day (Special Pirate Edition in Honor of our National Holiday)...</p><p></p><p>"Arrr. Scalawag don't mean wot ye think it mean, ye landlubbin' barnacle."</p><p></p><p></p><p>*****</p><p>Ander and the Bear </p><p></p><p>Episode 3 of 527, a Finale</p><p></p><p>Both Ander and the Bear turned as shrieks and cries erupted from a trio of goblins as they rushed out from their camp and spied the monstrous creature for the first time. It appeared to the woodsman that he was forgotten for the moment as the mighty Bear crashed into the terrified goblins ripping and clawing at anything that moved. </p><p></p><p>Blood coated the white terrain as the Bear’s claws tore one goblin’s head from his shoulders while the massive jaws swallowed another practically whole. The remaining goblin hurled its spear straight ahead at the beast while backpedaling to run away. It never made it, as the long arms of the giant Bear swatted out like a battering ram and sent the goblin flying back into the camp, smashing face first into the boulder that Ander had used as a hiding spot, leaving a thick streak of red as it slid to the snow beneath. </p><p></p><p>Ander stood by horrified at the destructive power of the gigantic beast but at the same time he saw his opportunity to save the child. Mustering up his courage, Ander rolled under the uprooted tree and ran around the roots hopping to snatch up the girl and run while the goblins were busy with the bear. Once he had gained his feet though, he was nearly knocked over by six fast moving goblins and only an angry roar gave the woodsman time to roll back under the trunk before four powerful paws ripped through the snow covered turf where he had once stood as the Bear gave chase to the half dozen fleet footed humanoids. </p><p></p><p>Ander once again pulled himself up from the snow and moved into the now vacated camp. Without pausing he moved quickly to where he knew the child had been, and sighed loudly when he came around to find the small child still sleeping peacefully under the mountain of blankets. Quickly he gathered the girl up, noticing a small mark on her neck that indicated to him that she had been drugged by a dart of some sort, and headed out the way he had originally come.</p><p></p><p>Ander cradled the small child as he ran, retracing his path and trying to get back onto his normal trails as the howling winds carried horrified goblin screams to his ears. The woodsman could no longer feel his left foot and saw blood marking his trail when he turned to check for signs of pursuit. In the distance he heard a mighty roar and the woodsman somehow knew that the goblins would no longer be a concern for the villages. Dropping his head, Ander doubled his effort and ran harder. </p><p></p><p>When he reached the tree line that he had first noticed the goblins, Ander slowed a bit knowing that he was now back in familiar territory, but more importantly he slowed knowing he had to be careful of his own traps. With the heavy snowfall, many of the landmarks that he used for navigation were now invisible. Carefully, he set back toward Icemist, limping on his numb foot. </p><p></p><p>A sudden burst of wind showered the ranger and his charge with stinging snow, obscuring his vision for a brief moment. Crouching down, Ander pulled his cloak around the pair and huddled against the fierce gusts. After a moment the sudden storm died and the woodsman peeked out from the hood of his covering. Oddly, though he could no longer feel the wind, he noticed that the flurries still whirled away to either side like a stream would flow around an island. </p><p></p><p>Strange panic washed over Ander as he felt, more than heard, a guttural rumbling shake his bones. Tears welled up in the young trackers eyes as he felt fetid breath warm his shoulders. With a look down at the small bundle that lay in his arms, the ranger prepared for one last desperate dash and gathered his legs beneath him. </p><p></p><p>With a grunt, Ander pushed his legs against the ground as hard as he could and sprang forward, hoping to catch the Bear off guard. Time seemed to slow to the woodsman as he leapt forward; his breath hung silently frozen in front of his face and out of the corner of his eye he could see the monstrous paw angling toward his head. Closing his eyes, the young ranger pushed on, preparing for the fatal blow.</p><p></p><p>Ander felt the remaining air blast from his body as a heavy blow to his waist twisted him sideways and hurled him into the air. A sharp prick to his temple sent waves of pain through his head but the woodsman managed to contort his body so that when he smashed into the snow the young child in his arms was cushioned on top.</p><p></p><p>The woodsman felt fresh blood running down his cheek as he scampered backwards and opened his eyes, expecting the beast to be upon him. Instead, Ander was surprised to find that the great Bear was not even looking his direction. Glancing down the path where the bear seemed to be focused, the young woodsman now understood why he was still alive. </p><p></p><p>He could see a man rising from the snow, coming to his feet from the tackle that had saved the young woodsman’s life. As his savior stood fully, Ander saw long stark white locks of hair whip over the man’s shoulder, dancing in the snow flurries. He was not what the young Ionian would have called large, but he easily filled out the fur trimmed, winter white armor that he wore, and his limbs were powerfully built. Ice blue eyes caught Ander’s gaze for just a moment, and in that brief span of time the young ranger knew that he had found a kindred spirit of the forest. </p><p></p><p>“Orloff!” the man bellowed through the now howling wind as Ander watched him circle to stand between the bear and himself. “Let it go Orloff, he is not one of them. He came to save the girl.”</p><p></p><p>In response to the winter warrior’s words, the Bear stood up, towering over the humans, and roared.</p><p></p><p> “I know he has been trapping in your woods, but the others tricked him. He didn’t know.” The Bear roared again: Ander could swear he could hear anger in its rumble. “Orloff, please, I don’t want to fight you.” As he spoke, the woodsman watched the white-locked warrior pull two knives that resembled sharpened deer antlers from his belt and settled back into a more defensive stance. With a slight dip of his head, the stranger turned slightly toward the young woodsman and said, “Run.”</p><p></p><p>At first, Ander was confused about the simple word that he had just heard, but when the white warrior yelled it again as the bear charged forward, the young man knew just what to do. Planting his hand into the ground, the ranger pushed himself to his feet and let his survival instincts take over. </p><p></p><p>Ander felt sharp stings from the blood and sweat that flowed into his eye as he dodged and cut between snowdrifts. The woodsman weaved in and out of the trees and his body became numb from the cuts and smacks he endured from stray branches and fallen timbers. It soon became obvious to the panicked ranger that he had lost any sense of direction and was just blindly fleeing through the dense forest. </p><p></p><p>With his one good eye, Ander tried to pick out any familiar landmarks or features, but the increasing snowfall blanketed the region and cut visibility dramatically. The woodsman slowed his pace and tried to wipe the blood from his face and gather his wits when his bootless leg finally gave out and sent him crashing to the snow. To make matters worse, the ranger had been on top of a crest and soon he found himself tumbling down, flipping and rolling until he finally came to an abrupt stop face first into a snow-covered log. </p><p></p><p>The ailing woodsman tried to rise but the cold had finally taken its toll and his muscles refused to cooperate. With the last of his energy, Ander curled up around the swaddled child in hopes that his heat would protect her until help arrived. Knowing that he had done all he could, Ander closed his eyes and listened to whistling wind. </p><p></p><p>“Delphia!” The cry jostled the ranger back to consciousness, and he raised his head to peer into the snow-filled night. The sight of torchlight radiating through the winter storm send jolts of excitement through the freezing young man. Laughing with giddy excitement, the woodsman noticed through the torchlight that he had rolled right out of the forest and onto the plains near Icemist. Ecstatically he began yelling. “Here we are! Here we are!”</p><p></p><p></p><p>Epilogue</p><p></p><p>Ander limped back to his bed after fetching the hot stew from the fire. His foot was still very tender from its time in the snow, but the mixture of herbs that Lizon had given him in gratitude for his deed had really done the trick. It had even managed to dull the pain from the head wound he had received. </p><p></p><p>Still, Ander knew that it would be awhile before he would be able to brave the weather enough to resume his trade. Now that he knew the truth behind Orloff’s woods though, he would have to “have a talk” with the Trapper family about new land rights before he could continue anyway. Besides, little Delphia’s family had made sure that he was stocked for the winter, so it would be some time before he needed anything. </p><p></p><p>A rough knock at the cabin’s door interrupted the woodsman’s diner. Grunting in pain as he stood once again, Ander shambled to see who could be visiting him way out here. Gripping the rough pine handle, he opened the door, shivered as the cold wind whipped through the small cottage and snow danced in along with it. Moving quickly, a white furred figure stepped into the warmth of the hut and shook the snow from his head. The winter warrior had every bit as powerful a presence to the woodsman here as he did during those desperate moments in the woods. </p><p></p><p>“You did well Ander; you should be proud.” The man said in low, soft tones as he stepped over to smell the stew. Ander could see now that even though he sported the white hair of an old man, the warrior was not at all old: maybe only a few winters older than Ander himself. </p><p></p><p>“My pack calls me Icemantle. Like you, I‘ve taken it upon myself to protect these lands. With the Northern Tribes always at war, I stay mostly in the shadow of the mountains, trying to keep their bloodshed from spilling over as far south as Icemist, and keeping safe some of those too stubborn to leave for safer pastures. It keeps me busy, and I don’t get to come down this way as much as I’d like to get news and supplies.” Icemantle fixed Ander with a long, penetrating, stare. “It relieves me greatly to know one like yourself has chosen to take residence near here and watch over these folks. </p><p></p><p>The snow ranger paused and rummaged through a sack that hung on his belt, producing a pair of fur lined leather boots from with its folds. “Here,” he said, “to make up for the one you lost.” He spoke while thrusting the boots at the young woodsman. Ander quietly accepted the present and stared back at the warrior, confused as to the purpose of the gift. </p><p></p><p>“I have lived in these artic wilds my entire life, but I see by your skin that you come from the southern lands: by your tan I’d say that this is your first real winter. Those boots were given to me when I first left the civilized lands and started out on my own: now I pass them on to you, just as you will pass them on when you have found someone worthy. They were enchanted by a forest shade – with them you can run like the wolf and leap like the deer. They will help keep you alive until first thaw, when I can return and teach you a bit more about the land you now choose to inhabit. Take care, Ander Tobin. May the Spirit of the Forest watch over you.”</p><p></p><p>With that Ander watched the artic ranger open the door and disappear into the swirling snow, leaving behind only the crackling fire.</p><p></p><p>End of Flashback</p><p></p><p>*****</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dshai527, post: 376812, member: 4469"] [b]Ander and the Bear: Part III[/b] Alright people, here it is, the finale for Ander and the Bear. Oh and the tip O' the Day (Special Pirate Edition in Honor of our National Holiday)... "Arrr. Scalawag don't mean wot ye think it mean, ye landlubbin' barnacle." ***** Ander and the Bear Episode 3 of 527, a Finale Both Ander and the Bear turned as shrieks and cries erupted from a trio of goblins as they rushed out from their camp and spied the monstrous creature for the first time. It appeared to the woodsman that he was forgotten for the moment as the mighty Bear crashed into the terrified goblins ripping and clawing at anything that moved. Blood coated the white terrain as the Bear’s claws tore one goblin’s head from his shoulders while the massive jaws swallowed another practically whole. The remaining goblin hurled its spear straight ahead at the beast while backpedaling to run away. It never made it, as the long arms of the giant Bear swatted out like a battering ram and sent the goblin flying back into the camp, smashing face first into the boulder that Ander had used as a hiding spot, leaving a thick streak of red as it slid to the snow beneath. Ander stood by horrified at the destructive power of the gigantic beast but at the same time he saw his opportunity to save the child. Mustering up his courage, Ander rolled under the uprooted tree and ran around the roots hopping to snatch up the girl and run while the goblins were busy with the bear. Once he had gained his feet though, he was nearly knocked over by six fast moving goblins and only an angry roar gave the woodsman time to roll back under the trunk before four powerful paws ripped through the snow covered turf where he had once stood as the Bear gave chase to the half dozen fleet footed humanoids. Ander once again pulled himself up from the snow and moved into the now vacated camp. Without pausing he moved quickly to where he knew the child had been, and sighed loudly when he came around to find the small child still sleeping peacefully under the mountain of blankets. Quickly he gathered the girl up, noticing a small mark on her neck that indicated to him that she had been drugged by a dart of some sort, and headed out the way he had originally come. Ander cradled the small child as he ran, retracing his path and trying to get back onto his normal trails as the howling winds carried horrified goblin screams to his ears. The woodsman could no longer feel his left foot and saw blood marking his trail when he turned to check for signs of pursuit. In the distance he heard a mighty roar and the woodsman somehow knew that the goblins would no longer be a concern for the villages. Dropping his head, Ander doubled his effort and ran harder. When he reached the tree line that he had first noticed the goblins, Ander slowed a bit knowing that he was now back in familiar territory, but more importantly he slowed knowing he had to be careful of his own traps. With the heavy snowfall, many of the landmarks that he used for navigation were now invisible. Carefully, he set back toward Icemist, limping on his numb foot. A sudden burst of wind showered the ranger and his charge with stinging snow, obscuring his vision for a brief moment. Crouching down, Ander pulled his cloak around the pair and huddled against the fierce gusts. After a moment the sudden storm died and the woodsman peeked out from the hood of his covering. Oddly, though he could no longer feel the wind, he noticed that the flurries still whirled away to either side like a stream would flow around an island. Strange panic washed over Ander as he felt, more than heard, a guttural rumbling shake his bones. Tears welled up in the young trackers eyes as he felt fetid breath warm his shoulders. With a look down at the small bundle that lay in his arms, the ranger prepared for one last desperate dash and gathered his legs beneath him. With a grunt, Ander pushed his legs against the ground as hard as he could and sprang forward, hoping to catch the Bear off guard. Time seemed to slow to the woodsman as he leapt forward; his breath hung silently frozen in front of his face and out of the corner of his eye he could see the monstrous paw angling toward his head. Closing his eyes, the young ranger pushed on, preparing for the fatal blow. Ander felt the remaining air blast from his body as a heavy blow to his waist twisted him sideways and hurled him into the air. A sharp prick to his temple sent waves of pain through his head but the woodsman managed to contort his body so that when he smashed into the snow the young child in his arms was cushioned on top. The woodsman felt fresh blood running down his cheek as he scampered backwards and opened his eyes, expecting the beast to be upon him. Instead, Ander was surprised to find that the great Bear was not even looking his direction. Glancing down the path where the bear seemed to be focused, the young woodsman now understood why he was still alive. He could see a man rising from the snow, coming to his feet from the tackle that had saved the young woodsman’s life. As his savior stood fully, Ander saw long stark white locks of hair whip over the man’s shoulder, dancing in the snow flurries. He was not what the young Ionian would have called large, but he easily filled out the fur trimmed, winter white armor that he wore, and his limbs were powerfully built. Ice blue eyes caught Ander’s gaze for just a moment, and in that brief span of time the young ranger knew that he had found a kindred spirit of the forest. “Orloff!” the man bellowed through the now howling wind as Ander watched him circle to stand between the bear and himself. “Let it go Orloff, he is not one of them. He came to save the girl.” In response to the winter warrior’s words, the Bear stood up, towering over the humans, and roared. “I know he has been trapping in your woods, but the others tricked him. He didn’t know.” The Bear roared again: Ander could swear he could hear anger in its rumble. “Orloff, please, I don’t want to fight you.” As he spoke, the woodsman watched the white-locked warrior pull two knives that resembled sharpened deer antlers from his belt and settled back into a more defensive stance. With a slight dip of his head, the stranger turned slightly toward the young woodsman and said, “Run.” At first, Ander was confused about the simple word that he had just heard, but when the white warrior yelled it again as the bear charged forward, the young man knew just what to do. Planting his hand into the ground, the ranger pushed himself to his feet and let his survival instincts take over. Ander felt sharp stings from the blood and sweat that flowed into his eye as he dodged and cut between snowdrifts. The woodsman weaved in and out of the trees and his body became numb from the cuts and smacks he endured from stray branches and fallen timbers. It soon became obvious to the panicked ranger that he had lost any sense of direction and was just blindly fleeing through the dense forest. With his one good eye, Ander tried to pick out any familiar landmarks or features, but the increasing snowfall blanketed the region and cut visibility dramatically. The woodsman slowed his pace and tried to wipe the blood from his face and gather his wits when his bootless leg finally gave out and sent him crashing to the snow. To make matters worse, the ranger had been on top of a crest and soon he found himself tumbling down, flipping and rolling until he finally came to an abrupt stop face first into a snow-covered log. The ailing woodsman tried to rise but the cold had finally taken its toll and his muscles refused to cooperate. With the last of his energy, Ander curled up around the swaddled child in hopes that his heat would protect her until help arrived. Knowing that he had done all he could, Ander closed his eyes and listened to whistling wind. “Delphia!” The cry jostled the ranger back to consciousness, and he raised his head to peer into the snow-filled night. The sight of torchlight radiating through the winter storm send jolts of excitement through the freezing young man. Laughing with giddy excitement, the woodsman noticed through the torchlight that he had rolled right out of the forest and onto the plains near Icemist. Ecstatically he began yelling. “Here we are! Here we are!” Epilogue Ander limped back to his bed after fetching the hot stew from the fire. His foot was still very tender from its time in the snow, but the mixture of herbs that Lizon had given him in gratitude for his deed had really done the trick. It had even managed to dull the pain from the head wound he had received. Still, Ander knew that it would be awhile before he would be able to brave the weather enough to resume his trade. Now that he knew the truth behind Orloff’s woods though, he would have to “have a talk” with the Trapper family about new land rights before he could continue anyway. Besides, little Delphia’s family had made sure that he was stocked for the winter, so it would be some time before he needed anything. A rough knock at the cabin’s door interrupted the woodsman’s diner. Grunting in pain as he stood once again, Ander shambled to see who could be visiting him way out here. Gripping the rough pine handle, he opened the door, shivered as the cold wind whipped through the small cottage and snow danced in along with it. Moving quickly, a white furred figure stepped into the warmth of the hut and shook the snow from his head. The winter warrior had every bit as powerful a presence to the woodsman here as he did during those desperate moments in the woods. “You did well Ander; you should be proud.” The man said in low, soft tones as he stepped over to smell the stew. Ander could see now that even though he sported the white hair of an old man, the warrior was not at all old: maybe only a few winters older than Ander himself. “My pack calls me Icemantle. Like you, I‘ve taken it upon myself to protect these lands. With the Northern Tribes always at war, I stay mostly in the shadow of the mountains, trying to keep their bloodshed from spilling over as far south as Icemist, and keeping safe some of those too stubborn to leave for safer pastures. It keeps me busy, and I don’t get to come down this way as much as I’d like to get news and supplies.” Icemantle fixed Ander with a long, penetrating, stare. “It relieves me greatly to know one like yourself has chosen to take residence near here and watch over these folks. The snow ranger paused and rummaged through a sack that hung on his belt, producing a pair of fur lined leather boots from with its folds. “Here,” he said, “to make up for the one you lost.” He spoke while thrusting the boots at the young woodsman. Ander quietly accepted the present and stared back at the warrior, confused as to the purpose of the gift. “I have lived in these artic wilds my entire life, but I see by your skin that you come from the southern lands: by your tan I’d say that this is your first real winter. Those boots were given to me when I first left the civilized lands and started out on my own: now I pass them on to you, just as you will pass them on when you have found someone worthy. They were enchanted by a forest shade – with them you can run like the wolf and leap like the deer. They will help keep you alive until first thaw, when I can return and teach you a bit more about the land you now choose to inhabit. Take care, Ander Tobin. May the Spirit of the Forest watch over you.” With that Ander watched the artic ranger open the door and disappear into the swirling snow, leaving behind only the crackling fire. End of Flashback ***** [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Small Beginnings - Final Update 6/18/04, ITEOTWAWKI, AIFF!
Top