Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="evandariel" data-source="post: 1318180" data-attributes="member: 15716">With a slight nod and a little thought, Gadreman speaks, albeit in a rather low tone, "Aye, 'tis Ulruz. I know a smattering of it. The accent comes from my servitude in the arena, in Doluhre. Before that," He leans closer, so as not to be overheard by too many, "I was raised by ogres."Gadreman can't keep the slight smile from appearing on his face, and continues, "They were an unusually cruel and intelligent tribe. They massacred an entire village on the outskirts of Mittendien when I was but a baby, slaughtering men and women left and right. The captives were used as slaves, raped, or left to die. I was one of the latter. Amidst some hundred children and infants, I lay waiting for death to take me. I was but one winter of age then, though a large and healthy child. Several days passed, with screaming and crying all around, innocent one's lives coming to an end periodically. Eventually I lay in the pit alone, the others passed away. Even the children who had resorted to eating the dead had died or choked on their own vomit. "When the ogres noticed, one woman among them, and when I say woman I refer to a female ogre, brought me from the pit and took me to the tribe's semi-permanent location not far off. The elders, who are mainly the largest and strongest, or most cunning, of the ogres, decided that I should be raised among them as an ogre. Even ogre children rarely showed the strength and persistance I had as a youth, and so I deserved a place of respect. At least, that's what I was told."I was brought up as a warrior and hunter, to be of service to those ogres leading raids on human settlements, and it was during one of these excursions that the ogres were slaughtered and I captured. The humans did not take kindly to the attacks, and they did not think a child such as I was worthy of any sort of mercy. "So it was I came to find myself in the salt mines. I am not sure if you remember them, the ones that used to be betwixt here and Ulruz, sitting snugly along the border. I grew into the man you see now, down in those pits for some time. The salt mines came to an end in a goblin raid, urged on by some superior hobgoblin in Ulruz. They dragged me and most of my fellow slaves back into their country, to their masters. I was one of the fortunate few to end up in the arenas, where a slave has at least some chance of winning his freedom. Or at least some of it."Gadreman takes a sip from his ale, winking to the bartender, and continues. His voice is thick and at time stumbles over words, sometimes reverting to Thusesti, and occasionally, Giant. "I enjoyed the fighting, having been reared among one of the most ferocious races on this earth. It was several years until the conflicts in Ulruz came to a head, but that was the last of any sort of coersion of life in Doluhre. During Antonius' raid on the capitol, I made my escape, amidst a band of gladiators taking advantage of the guards' suprise at the invasion. We nearly all escaped, only losing a handful of men. We spread thin and made it to the borders of the city when the slavers found us. Spells were thrown about, lightning and light abounded, arrows overhead of both mundane and magic creation. I was the only one to escape. Apparently the slavers knew that there was still life yet in Doluhre, and as soon as the coup had finished they would merely be led by another. It didn't matter to them, politics. What mattered was that their livelihood was escaping. "So I am hunted now, by mages and warriors alike, and I am sure some clerics of Beher are numbered among them. It is nothing unusual to me, my life being in danger every waking hour. I rather enjoy the chase. But I have outmaneuvered them, and something tells me they are far behind. We shall see, but I guess that I will have time to tarry here or there now. If they have not given up chase, it will take them long to find this place, and to get here without a large welcome from the local populace." He grins and offers his hand to the barkeep, "So, Gadreman of the Bloody Fist is at your service, if you have need." He gives the bartender a firm shake and then finishes his ale, waiting for a response to his story, and to his offer.</blockquote>

Verification