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
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
"An Icy Grave" : A Tale of Two Brothers
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="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 316538" data-attributes="member: 2323"><p><strong>Part 20: Some Well Deserved Rest</strong></p><p></p><p>Karak shoved the buckler into the wide band of his girdle and moved to the second corpse. The body looked very similar to Kairem, right down to the sharply filed teeth; the two men could have been brothers. The dwarf knelt down into the snow and checked the man's throat. There was no lifebeat. He had bled to death from the two wounds to his legs.</p><p>Karak spied a bulging pouch at the man's belt and ripped it free with a single tug. It jingled in his hand - full of coins from the sound of it.</p><p>He slung his war axe and picked up a handful of snow. He pressed the snow against his left elbow, working the stuff in between the plates of armor there so that it made its way to the injury sight.</p><p>"Let's go, chalak," he grunted as Malak approached with his brother's pack in his arms. "I am right about tired o' this miserable snow."</p><p>The Battleguard nodded.</p><p>"Aye. We best be gettin' ye' ta some shelter," he said. "Ye looks ta need more than just a wee bit o' healin'"</p><p>Karak harrumphed and they trudged toward the cleft in the cliff face.</p><p>It seemed ironic to Malak that he had shuddered at the sight of the place a few hours before, and now, looking up at the figures of Orin and Merikka in the iron gate, a sense of calm fell over him. He knew better than to feel too at ease with the place, there was certainly enough evil there for a hundred men, but it provided shelter and a place to shake the bone-numbing cold that had clung to him for much too long now. Besides, the figure of Shaharizod in the room of statues would be a most welcome sight.</p><p>Karak gave a futile tug at the gate as they passed, trying to pull it closed behind them. It was too firmly anchored in place by snow and ice to budge, however, and he soon gave up the effort.</p><p>Nothing more assaulted them as they waded through the snow to the front steps and entered the building itself. The fire that they had lit in the front hall had burned down to a bed of smoking coals, but the heat that it put out settled over them like a welcome blanket. Once the door was closed and they heard the latch click into place, they shrugged free of their packs and moved eagerly toward the warmth.</p><p></p><p>Malak attended to his brother's injuries once his own fingers had warmed enough to permit him to work the healer's craft. The wound to Karak's elbow was a savage one and it required stitching up in addition to the application of salves and clean bandages. The cleric offered a swallow of Quilarri to his twin for the pain.</p><p>"Nae too much," he warned," lessin' ye want ta find yerself addled if'n that ghost wraith attacks us again."</p><p>In truth, his healing supplies were rapidly dwindling. Less than a week out of Dwurheim and already he'd used up more than half his kit.</p><p>"Aye," the warrior nodded grimly, handing back the tiny flask of liquid. "Malak, I now fear that while we were gone tha ghost wraith could have made its way back in 'ere. What say ye, after ye fix me arm we go up and check his room? Then we can 'ole up ere again and get some rest."</p><p>"A goodly plan," the Battleguard told him. "Once that be done, I thinks ye're right - lets go lookin' for that spirit before it starts lookin' for us. Daylight is on our side. Let's nae waste any."</p><p>As Malak carefully stitched up his left arm, Karak held up the buckler he'd taken off Kairem's corpse and looked at it in the firelight. Malak's claymore had struck it solidly more than a few times, but it showed not so much as a single nick in its polished surface.</p><p>"This is one fine buckler given ta a thane," he told his brother. "Ye be tha one who noticed it and fought well against tha beast even though ye be a soft miracle worker."</p><p>Malak harrumphed and tugged a bit at the thread, making Karak wince a little.</p><p>"I think ye've earned this battle honor," the warrior went on. He looked at it longingly for a moment, appreciating its martial value and fine dwarven make before he added, "Beside, it'd just get in tha way o' me swing."</p><p>"That's right kind o' ye," Malak said as he snipped the thread with a small pair of scissors and began to bandage up the wound. "I'll gladly accept such an honor though me own weapon requires two hands for tha time bein' as well. Truth be told, I'm nae near as fond o' me claymore as ye are o' that axe!"</p><p>"That axe has saved both our lives a time or two, chalak," Karak grumbled and put down the buckler. He picked up the belt pouch he'd taken off the other corpse and worked the drawstring loose with his free hand. Inside were some bronze karns and dikarns and an electrum pekarn or two - perhaps 50 gold worth in total - and three severed dwarf fingers.</p><p>"Gaw!" Karak hissed. Sharply pointed teeth had obviously gnawed on one of the fingers rather extensively.</p><p>"Sharp teeth are better ta eat meat," the cleric repeated what Kairem had told them. "He was tellin' tha truth, it seems. He jus' dinna mention what kind o' meat 'e was fond o'."</p><p>A clear and disturbing picture was beginning to develop in Malak's mind about what had happened to Arngrim. He wished it wouldn't. Such a death was unfitting any dwarf, and unfitting especially a dwarven thane. No dwarf worthy o'-</p><p>Karak's head began to slump; his eyes had already closed.</p><p>"Chalak!" the Battleguard said and his brother jerked his head up. "I warned ye ta go easy on tha' Quilarri."</p><p>"I'm jus' a wee bit tired is all," Karak explained, blinking his eyes. "I'll be fine."</p><p>"Ye'll get yerself killed is what ye'll do," his brother corrected. "Ye get some rest an' I'll take first watch. We'll worry about our friend the ghost wraith after we've 'ad a bit o' sleep."</p><p>Karak wasted no effort to discourage his brother, but simply gathered his sleep gear and lay down near the fire.</p><p>The Battleguard fished in his medicine satchel and produced a vial of juniper berry distillate. With any luck, the stimulant would keep him awake long enough for his brother to regain some of his strength.</p><p></p><p>It worked and he instructed Karak to drink some of the juniper berry once it was his turn to sit watch.</p><p>Malak feared that he stimulant might keep him awake, but he sank into slumber as soon as his head touched the floor. Karak sat watch as the night wore on with no sound reaching his ears except the raging howl of the storm. He checked the oil-soaked rags they had bound round their weapons, and added some to his war axe. The rest of the time, he tended the fire and cleaned both their suits of armor. He had just finished with Malak's scalemail when over the sound of the wind outside, he heard the distant sighing sound that they had heard before in the furnace room. The sound began to grow louder.</p><p>"Chalak!" the warrior said, nudging his brother out of sleep with his steel-shod boot. "It comes!"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 316538, member: 2323"] [b]Part 20: Some Well Deserved Rest[/b] Karak shoved the buckler into the wide band of his girdle and moved to the second corpse. The body looked very similar to Kairem, right down to the sharply filed teeth; the two men could have been brothers. The dwarf knelt down into the snow and checked the man's throat. There was no lifebeat. He had bled to death from the two wounds to his legs. Karak spied a bulging pouch at the man's belt and ripped it free with a single tug. It jingled in his hand - full of coins from the sound of it. He slung his war axe and picked up a handful of snow. He pressed the snow against his left elbow, working the stuff in between the plates of armor there so that it made its way to the injury sight. "Let's go, chalak," he grunted as Malak approached with his brother's pack in his arms. "I am right about tired o' this miserable snow." The Battleguard nodded. "Aye. We best be gettin' ye' ta some shelter," he said. "Ye looks ta need more than just a wee bit o' healin'" Karak harrumphed and they trudged toward the cleft in the cliff face. It seemed ironic to Malak that he had shuddered at the sight of the place a few hours before, and now, looking up at the figures of Orin and Merikka in the iron gate, a sense of calm fell over him. He knew better than to feel too at ease with the place, there was certainly enough evil there for a hundred men, but it provided shelter and a place to shake the bone-numbing cold that had clung to him for much too long now. Besides, the figure of Shaharizod in the room of statues would be a most welcome sight. Karak gave a futile tug at the gate as they passed, trying to pull it closed behind them. It was too firmly anchored in place by snow and ice to budge, however, and he soon gave up the effort. Nothing more assaulted them as they waded through the snow to the front steps and entered the building itself. The fire that they had lit in the front hall had burned down to a bed of smoking coals, but the heat that it put out settled over them like a welcome blanket. Once the door was closed and they heard the latch click into place, they shrugged free of their packs and moved eagerly toward the warmth. Malak attended to his brother's injuries once his own fingers had warmed enough to permit him to work the healer's craft. The wound to Karak's elbow was a savage one and it required stitching up in addition to the application of salves and clean bandages. The cleric offered a swallow of Quilarri to his twin for the pain. "Nae too much," he warned," lessin' ye want ta find yerself addled if'n that ghost wraith attacks us again." In truth, his healing supplies were rapidly dwindling. Less than a week out of Dwurheim and already he'd used up more than half his kit. "Aye," the warrior nodded grimly, handing back the tiny flask of liquid. "Malak, I now fear that while we were gone tha ghost wraith could have made its way back in 'ere. What say ye, after ye fix me arm we go up and check his room? Then we can 'ole up ere again and get some rest." "A goodly plan," the Battleguard told him. "Once that be done, I thinks ye're right - lets go lookin' for that spirit before it starts lookin' for us. Daylight is on our side. Let's nae waste any." As Malak carefully stitched up his left arm, Karak held up the buckler he'd taken off Kairem's corpse and looked at it in the firelight. Malak's claymore had struck it solidly more than a few times, but it showed not so much as a single nick in its polished surface. "This is one fine buckler given ta a thane," he told his brother. "Ye be tha one who noticed it and fought well against tha beast even though ye be a soft miracle worker." Malak harrumphed and tugged a bit at the thread, making Karak wince a little. "I think ye've earned this battle honor," the warrior went on. He looked at it longingly for a moment, appreciating its martial value and fine dwarven make before he added, "Beside, it'd just get in tha way o' me swing." "That's right kind o' ye," Malak said as he snipped the thread with a small pair of scissors and began to bandage up the wound. "I'll gladly accept such an honor though me own weapon requires two hands for tha time bein' as well. Truth be told, I'm nae near as fond o' me claymore as ye are o' that axe!" "That axe has saved both our lives a time or two, chalak," Karak grumbled and put down the buckler. He picked up the belt pouch he'd taken off the other corpse and worked the drawstring loose with his free hand. Inside were some bronze karns and dikarns and an electrum pekarn or two - perhaps 50 gold worth in total - and three severed dwarf fingers. "Gaw!" Karak hissed. Sharply pointed teeth had obviously gnawed on one of the fingers rather extensively. "Sharp teeth are better ta eat meat," the cleric repeated what Kairem had told them. "He was tellin' tha truth, it seems. He jus' dinna mention what kind o' meat 'e was fond o'." A clear and disturbing picture was beginning to develop in Malak's mind about what had happened to Arngrim. He wished it wouldn't. Such a death was unfitting any dwarf, and unfitting especially a dwarven thane. No dwarf worthy o'- Karak's head began to slump; his eyes had already closed. "Chalak!" the Battleguard said and his brother jerked his head up. "I warned ye ta go easy on tha' Quilarri." "I'm jus' a wee bit tired is all," Karak explained, blinking his eyes. "I'll be fine." "Ye'll get yerself killed is what ye'll do," his brother corrected. "Ye get some rest an' I'll take first watch. We'll worry about our friend the ghost wraith after we've 'ad a bit o' sleep." Karak wasted no effort to discourage his brother, but simply gathered his sleep gear and lay down near the fire. The Battleguard fished in his medicine satchel and produced a vial of juniper berry distillate. With any luck, the stimulant would keep him awake long enough for his brother to regain some of his strength. It worked and he instructed Karak to drink some of the juniper berry once it was his turn to sit watch. Malak feared that he stimulant might keep him awake, but he sank into slumber as soon as his head touched the floor. Karak sat watch as the night wore on with no sound reaching his ears except the raging howl of the storm. He checked the oil-soaked rags they had bound round their weapons, and added some to his war axe. The rest of the time, he tended the fire and cleaned both their suits of armor. He had just finished with Malak's scalemail when over the sound of the wind outside, he heard the distant sighing sound that they had heard before in the furnace room. The sound began to grow louder. "Chalak!" the warrior said, nudging his brother out of sleep with his steel-shod boot. "It comes!" [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
"An Icy Grave" : A Tale of Two Brothers
Top