sword-dancer
Explorer
Very interesting Storyhour with an own flavor
-
NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Ice, Luck and Honour
- Thread starter Spider_Jerusalem
- Start date
sword-dancer
Explorer
Very interesting Campaign with her own flavor
Call me locked in.
Call me locked in.
Spider_Jerusalem
Explorer
[Edit]Edited into past tense on 18th September 2004[Edit]
Ice, Luck and Honour
Chapter 7: Trailblazing
Part 1 of 2
Early to Middle Winter, Realms Date 1372
…Taking no more time than necessary, Torious and Thalin filled their travel packs with gem bags, whilst discussing the reasons as to why banedead had been under the command of such a man as Lyle Blackrock. Milo, meanwhile, searched the office and grabbed anything he detected as magical and stuffed it into his pockets (where Isplit began to sort through them). Thinking it better not to disturb the crushed body of Lyle, Milo caught up to his companions and guided them out of the mines, and into the dying daylight…
- - - - - - - - - -
A laconic rising wind helped Dariel glide upwards, his wings scythed through the air with grace. His eyes focused across the vast area he now surveyed; the route back towards Darmshall. Thalin had intoned there might be hostile forces waiting to ambush them, and so Dariel had taken flight to soothe his master’s paranoia. But what greeted the owl’s sight was not an ambushing force; it was a thick, heavy column of smoke rising from where Darmshall should have been. It was too far to determine what had happened there, even with his eyesight. Unsure what to do, Dariel began to descend in a broad spiral taking him slowly back to the earth.
“Don’t be foolish, these gems should easily give each of us enough to go whatever way we choose.” commented Thalin, carefully watching the reactions of his companions as he strode along.
“I do not know which way to travel yet. I shall stay in Darmshall until I am shown,” said Torious, “from that, I cannot be swayed.”
Milo let out a laugh.
“Don’t you ever do what you want? Go somewhere you always wanted to go? Why do you always do what Tyr says?” questioned Milo quickly, as he skipped in front of Torious and began to walk backwards so he could look at the aasimar’s face.
Torious looked back, his eyes level. No answer.
A cold wind breezed past the companions and Milo shivered. Torious stalked onwards without a word. The halfling dropped back to talk to Thalin, but saw the mage looking into the evening sky, as if looking for something. Milo tried to help, although he didn't know what he was searching for.
Milo squealed in fright as a white blur tore past his head. Dropping to the floor, Milo rolled and unlatched his crossbow, drawing a bead on the vicious creature now sitting on Thalin’s shoulder. Realising his mistake, Milo picked himself up and laughed a little, only to hear an exasperated sigh from Isplit as the weasel’s head poked out his top pocket, a small wheat biscuit in his paws.
Thalin stood for a moment as Dariel hopped back and forth on his shoulder. Suddenly Thalin's knuckles tightened around Erifeci, “Milo! Torious! Darmshall is burning!”
- - - - - - - - - -
Mikka ducked again, his eyes wild as the huge metal-plated knight lunged forward.
“Wait!!! I can give you gold… gems… magic!” screeched the trader as the crackling war-hammer head hummed through the air. Not wanting to be on the end of whatever magic was held in the war-hammer, Mikka scurried backwards into the shifting shadows of a burning building as the hulking knight advanced.
Hefting the war-hammer around again, the dying sun played across the ogre-sized knight’s armour. His heavy bronze helm was shaped into the visage of a snarling black bear. Fully coated in plate mail, The Bear moved surprisingly fast and almost caught Mikka again, this time only the thief’s unnatural reflexes saved him. Mikka felt the ledge of a windowsill behind him, and seeing his chance, hopped upwards as the hammer dented a crater into the mortar of the building. With a sudden discharge of energy, the entire wall of the building Mikka was about to escape through exploded outwards in a deafening peal of thunder. The thief tumbled forwards as The Bear grunted in anger at missing his target and went to take another swing, his war-hammer humming with energy again.
- - - - - - - - - -
Two hours passed before the three adventurers finally saw the outskirts of Darmshall before them. Fully dark now, Torious led the party with a blazing torch in one hand and Freedom’s Edge in the other. Thalin followed with Erifeci, and Milo tried to keep pace with Vampire in one hand and using his other hand to balance as he ran with all his halfling might. Sighting a number of still smoking ruins, the three companions saw the perimeter posts, but no glowing line.
Their fears were confirmed as Torious drew to a halt in the market square. With enough light emanating from the smouldering houses, the toppled tower of Noristour lay strewn across the market square, the tip of the tower having smashed through the roof of the town hall.
“Every house is burnt through. Nothing is left,” said Thalin meekly as he slowly turned in a circle, taking in the utter devastation of the trading town. The scorched houses. The cracked and scalded bodies. The air heavy with death and smoke.
Milo sat on the floor, his eyes were closed and he hugged his knees as the reality of what happened here began to fully sink in.
“This is it,” said Torious quietly as he stared into the ruins of the charred tower, “I now know what I must do. This is why I have been led here.”
Thalin turned on Torious, his eyes flaring in anger.
“You damned fool! These people are dead!” he motioned around them, “Do not dare to trivialise this as some sign of your accursed god!”
Torious and Thalin stood unmoving for almost a minute as neither refused to back down, only the soft sobs of Milo breaking the silence.
The deadlock was broken by an aching cry from a nearby building. Torious turned immediately away and headed for the sound. Thalin gently squeezed Milo’s shoulder, then jogged after the aasimar. Milo looked up as the mage ran off. Wiping his tears away, Milo sat cross-legged as he stared into the dying flames of the tower. Sniffing, Milo stared harder as the hazy image of an armour-clad man looked back.
- - - - - - - - - -
Torious pushed aside a fallen doorway, and seeing a clutching hand waving desperately, grabbed hold and dragged the person to safety. Thalin pulled burnt debris away as the small figure crawled into the night air.
Coughing, and wiping his eyes, Mikka stood unsteadily. His clothes and face were caked black and his right hand was broken. Torious recognised the thief, and suddenly became unsure. Does he bring the vagrant to justice now or help the wounded man recover? Running the conundrum through in his mind, Torious reluctantly helped Mikka away from the building, healed his broken hand, and then led him towards Milo.
“Quickly! We’re being watched by a man in the flames!” shouted Milo into the air, not wanting to turn away from the visage. The flaming man turned as Torious, Thalin and Mikka approached then the image faded into the last of the dying fire.
“There was someone in the flames! He saw me and you and you and… Mikka?!?” cried Milo, suddenly distracted.
“Greetings Milo. Although not in the greatest of settings.” Mikka replied, dabbing at his soot-heavy face with a small handkerchief.
Milo looked back at the strange thief and despite everything, laughed.
- - - - - - - - - -
After Milo persuaded Torious not to hurt Mikka, the three companions moved outside of the town to set up camp. As the fire and tents were being made, Mikka explained what happened, although the three companions doubted some of the more favourable aspects of the story.
The attack had begun when the sun was setting. It had started when a man called Robar had led a group of knights into the Town Hall and promptly murdered every man, woman and child in there. After this, the burnings began. Mikka explained he had defeated a red-robed knight in single combat as he returned to douse flames that had started in a house full of children. As he helped pull the children to safety, a seven-foot tall knight with a snarling bear-mask had attacked and (Mikka’s face suddenly falls at this point in the recounting) begun to slaughter the townsfolk that were attempting to put out the flames. "The Bear", as the red-robed knights had called him, ordered his men to kill the children. And they obeyed out of fear. Mikka then proceeded to tell of his epic duel with this mighty foe and how he wrestled The Bear to the ground, but lost the pin because his opponent used dirty tactics.
At this point, Torious informed Mikka that if he lied again he would be forced to exact Tyr’s justice right there and then. Mikka gulped, then continued.
After running from The Bear, Mikka had hid in the house the three companions had pulled him from and using an arcane protection, endured the heat of the fire. But he got trapped because beams fell onto him. And that was that.
Thalin was interested to know that Mikka could use the Art, but Mikka informed Thalin (whilst Torious is off collecting more firewood) that his arcane skills really came from his heritage. Thalin didn’t seem to understand and Mikka explained that he was known as a tiefling. Born of a human and a devil and stuck on this plane of existence. With that, Mikka went to sleep, but not before making sure the rather confused Thalin and Milo didn’t tell Torious of his birthright.
- - - - - - - - - -
The night passed uneventfully, and the morning came with the lingering stench of smoke and a blood red sky.
Torious awakened at dawn light and prayed to Tyr for guidance. After coming to a decision, Torious joined Thalin, Milo and Mikka who sat around a small fire. Mikka was cooking a batch of red sausages, and offered Torious a portion, but he waved him away.
“Thalin. Milo.” said Torious, not looking at Mikka as he talked, “I have come to a decision. I am going to travel westwards to bring this Robar to justice. He shall not escape Tyr’s wrath for long. I am sorry to leave you in a time like this, but my god has shown me the way.”
Torious stood for a moment, quite aware that his hair was swaying lightly against the red sky in the morning breeze.
Milo stuffed a sausage in his mouth, then answered.
“Yeah, well, I’m going with you,” chomped Milo, “So are Thalin and Mikka.”
Mikka looked up at the dumbfounded aasimar and grinned disarmingly.
“Sure you don’t want that sausage?”
Torious finally agreed to accompany the other three westwards, but only after making each swear that they wouldn’t prevent him dealing justice to Robar. Not wanting to waste any more time, the companions packed up and began westwards, following the heavy hoof prints and burnt offerings scattered behind Robar’s forces.
- - - - - - - - - -
However, tragedy occured only minutes into the journey when Milo, already thoroughly bored, began to sift through the items he found in the mines. Searching through his backpack, Milo decided to rein in his curiosity and test the blandest items first (although he really wanted to investigate a small mechanical spider). With this thought in mind, Milo looked for a moment then withdrew a small bronze ring with a set of dwarven numerals on the side. Boring thought Milo. Turning it over in his hand, his little face scrunched up with concentration, then remarked boldly, “One. Two. One.”
Milo grinned in victory as his companions looked at him. Seeing them start to turn back, and desperately not wanting to lose their attention, Milo pushed the ring on his finger (which shrank to fit him) and shouted out, “One. Two. One.”
With not so much as a sound, Milo blinked out of existence...
Ice, Luck and Honour
Chapter 7: Trailblazing
Part 1 of 2
Early to Middle Winter, Realms Date 1372
…Taking no more time than necessary, Torious and Thalin filled their travel packs with gem bags, whilst discussing the reasons as to why banedead had been under the command of such a man as Lyle Blackrock. Milo, meanwhile, searched the office and grabbed anything he detected as magical and stuffed it into his pockets (where Isplit began to sort through them). Thinking it better not to disturb the crushed body of Lyle, Milo caught up to his companions and guided them out of the mines, and into the dying daylight…
- - - - - - - - - -
A laconic rising wind helped Dariel glide upwards, his wings scythed through the air with grace. His eyes focused across the vast area he now surveyed; the route back towards Darmshall. Thalin had intoned there might be hostile forces waiting to ambush them, and so Dariel had taken flight to soothe his master’s paranoia. But what greeted the owl’s sight was not an ambushing force; it was a thick, heavy column of smoke rising from where Darmshall should have been. It was too far to determine what had happened there, even with his eyesight. Unsure what to do, Dariel began to descend in a broad spiral taking him slowly back to the earth.
“Don’t be foolish, these gems should easily give each of us enough to go whatever way we choose.” commented Thalin, carefully watching the reactions of his companions as he strode along.
“I do not know which way to travel yet. I shall stay in Darmshall until I am shown,” said Torious, “from that, I cannot be swayed.”
Milo let out a laugh.
“Don’t you ever do what you want? Go somewhere you always wanted to go? Why do you always do what Tyr says?” questioned Milo quickly, as he skipped in front of Torious and began to walk backwards so he could look at the aasimar’s face.
Torious looked back, his eyes level. No answer.
A cold wind breezed past the companions and Milo shivered. Torious stalked onwards without a word. The halfling dropped back to talk to Thalin, but saw the mage looking into the evening sky, as if looking for something. Milo tried to help, although he didn't know what he was searching for.
Milo squealed in fright as a white blur tore past his head. Dropping to the floor, Milo rolled and unlatched his crossbow, drawing a bead on the vicious creature now sitting on Thalin’s shoulder. Realising his mistake, Milo picked himself up and laughed a little, only to hear an exasperated sigh from Isplit as the weasel’s head poked out his top pocket, a small wheat biscuit in his paws.
Thalin stood for a moment as Dariel hopped back and forth on his shoulder. Suddenly Thalin's knuckles tightened around Erifeci, “Milo! Torious! Darmshall is burning!”
- - - - - - - - - -
Mikka ducked again, his eyes wild as the huge metal-plated knight lunged forward.
“Wait!!! I can give you gold… gems… magic!” screeched the trader as the crackling war-hammer head hummed through the air. Not wanting to be on the end of whatever magic was held in the war-hammer, Mikka scurried backwards into the shifting shadows of a burning building as the hulking knight advanced.
Hefting the war-hammer around again, the dying sun played across the ogre-sized knight’s armour. His heavy bronze helm was shaped into the visage of a snarling black bear. Fully coated in plate mail, The Bear moved surprisingly fast and almost caught Mikka again, this time only the thief’s unnatural reflexes saved him. Mikka felt the ledge of a windowsill behind him, and seeing his chance, hopped upwards as the hammer dented a crater into the mortar of the building. With a sudden discharge of energy, the entire wall of the building Mikka was about to escape through exploded outwards in a deafening peal of thunder. The thief tumbled forwards as The Bear grunted in anger at missing his target and went to take another swing, his war-hammer humming with energy again.
- - - - - - - - - -
Two hours passed before the three adventurers finally saw the outskirts of Darmshall before them. Fully dark now, Torious led the party with a blazing torch in one hand and Freedom’s Edge in the other. Thalin followed with Erifeci, and Milo tried to keep pace with Vampire in one hand and using his other hand to balance as he ran with all his halfling might. Sighting a number of still smoking ruins, the three companions saw the perimeter posts, but no glowing line.
Their fears were confirmed as Torious drew to a halt in the market square. With enough light emanating from the smouldering houses, the toppled tower of Noristour lay strewn across the market square, the tip of the tower having smashed through the roof of the town hall.
“Every house is burnt through. Nothing is left,” said Thalin meekly as he slowly turned in a circle, taking in the utter devastation of the trading town. The scorched houses. The cracked and scalded bodies. The air heavy with death and smoke.
Milo sat on the floor, his eyes were closed and he hugged his knees as the reality of what happened here began to fully sink in.
“This is it,” said Torious quietly as he stared into the ruins of the charred tower, “I now know what I must do. This is why I have been led here.”
Thalin turned on Torious, his eyes flaring in anger.
“You damned fool! These people are dead!” he motioned around them, “Do not dare to trivialise this as some sign of your accursed god!”
Torious and Thalin stood unmoving for almost a minute as neither refused to back down, only the soft sobs of Milo breaking the silence.
The deadlock was broken by an aching cry from a nearby building. Torious turned immediately away and headed for the sound. Thalin gently squeezed Milo’s shoulder, then jogged after the aasimar. Milo looked up as the mage ran off. Wiping his tears away, Milo sat cross-legged as he stared into the dying flames of the tower. Sniffing, Milo stared harder as the hazy image of an armour-clad man looked back.
- - - - - - - - - -
Torious pushed aside a fallen doorway, and seeing a clutching hand waving desperately, grabbed hold and dragged the person to safety. Thalin pulled burnt debris away as the small figure crawled into the night air.
Coughing, and wiping his eyes, Mikka stood unsteadily. His clothes and face were caked black and his right hand was broken. Torious recognised the thief, and suddenly became unsure. Does he bring the vagrant to justice now or help the wounded man recover? Running the conundrum through in his mind, Torious reluctantly helped Mikka away from the building, healed his broken hand, and then led him towards Milo.
“Quickly! We’re being watched by a man in the flames!” shouted Milo into the air, not wanting to turn away from the visage. The flaming man turned as Torious, Thalin and Mikka approached then the image faded into the last of the dying fire.
“There was someone in the flames! He saw me and you and you and… Mikka?!?” cried Milo, suddenly distracted.
“Greetings Milo. Although not in the greatest of settings.” Mikka replied, dabbing at his soot-heavy face with a small handkerchief.
Milo looked back at the strange thief and despite everything, laughed.
- - - - - - - - - -
After Milo persuaded Torious not to hurt Mikka, the three companions moved outside of the town to set up camp. As the fire and tents were being made, Mikka explained what happened, although the three companions doubted some of the more favourable aspects of the story.
The attack had begun when the sun was setting. It had started when a man called Robar had led a group of knights into the Town Hall and promptly murdered every man, woman and child in there. After this, the burnings began. Mikka explained he had defeated a red-robed knight in single combat as he returned to douse flames that had started in a house full of children. As he helped pull the children to safety, a seven-foot tall knight with a snarling bear-mask had attacked and (Mikka’s face suddenly falls at this point in the recounting) begun to slaughter the townsfolk that were attempting to put out the flames. "The Bear", as the red-robed knights had called him, ordered his men to kill the children. And they obeyed out of fear. Mikka then proceeded to tell of his epic duel with this mighty foe and how he wrestled The Bear to the ground, but lost the pin because his opponent used dirty tactics.
At this point, Torious informed Mikka that if he lied again he would be forced to exact Tyr’s justice right there and then. Mikka gulped, then continued.
After running from The Bear, Mikka had hid in the house the three companions had pulled him from and using an arcane protection, endured the heat of the fire. But he got trapped because beams fell onto him. And that was that.
Thalin was interested to know that Mikka could use the Art, but Mikka informed Thalin (whilst Torious is off collecting more firewood) that his arcane skills really came from his heritage. Thalin didn’t seem to understand and Mikka explained that he was known as a tiefling. Born of a human and a devil and stuck on this plane of existence. With that, Mikka went to sleep, but not before making sure the rather confused Thalin and Milo didn’t tell Torious of his birthright.
- - - - - - - - - -
The night passed uneventfully, and the morning came with the lingering stench of smoke and a blood red sky.
Torious awakened at dawn light and prayed to Tyr for guidance. After coming to a decision, Torious joined Thalin, Milo and Mikka who sat around a small fire. Mikka was cooking a batch of red sausages, and offered Torious a portion, but he waved him away.
“Thalin. Milo.” said Torious, not looking at Mikka as he talked, “I have come to a decision. I am going to travel westwards to bring this Robar to justice. He shall not escape Tyr’s wrath for long. I am sorry to leave you in a time like this, but my god has shown me the way.”
Torious stood for a moment, quite aware that his hair was swaying lightly against the red sky in the morning breeze.
Milo stuffed a sausage in his mouth, then answered.
“Yeah, well, I’m going with you,” chomped Milo, “So are Thalin and Mikka.”
Mikka looked up at the dumbfounded aasimar and grinned disarmingly.
“Sure you don’t want that sausage?”
Torious finally agreed to accompany the other three westwards, but only after making each swear that they wouldn’t prevent him dealing justice to Robar. Not wanting to waste any more time, the companions packed up and began westwards, following the heavy hoof prints and burnt offerings scattered behind Robar’s forces.
- - - - - - - - - -
However, tragedy occured only minutes into the journey when Milo, already thoroughly bored, began to sift through the items he found in the mines. Searching through his backpack, Milo decided to rein in his curiosity and test the blandest items first (although he really wanted to investigate a small mechanical spider). With this thought in mind, Milo looked for a moment then withdrew a small bronze ring with a set of dwarven numerals on the side. Boring thought Milo. Turning it over in his hand, his little face scrunched up with concentration, then remarked boldly, “One. Two. One.”
Milo grinned in victory as his companions looked at him. Seeing them start to turn back, and desperately not wanting to lose their attention, Milo pushed the ring on his finger (which shrank to fit him) and shouted out, “One. Two. One.”
With not so much as a sound, Milo blinked out of existence...
Last edited:
Spider_Jerusalem
Explorer
Interlude Number Two: As Fortune May Have It
The sound of angels singing was so sweet that Milo began to cry. Their voices echoed every emotion possible in the beat of a single word. As his eyes adjusted to the bright lights, he wiped away a tear and gazed around. His dirty boots stood on a perfect marble floor that stretched outwards into a haze of white light. All around him were carved stone pillars that vaulted endlessly into the sky, they seemed to move and shimmer with the voices. In the grand hall, creatures of all sorts moved and danced, their faces joyous, their clothes simple. Some turned to watch Milo with glistening gold eyes. Some whispered his name.
Ahead of him, sat in a small, unimposing chair was a female human with gold-flecked skin. Her features were pretty, but not overbearing. She smiled, and a golden light played across the entire chamber. Around her, creatures of many different races played games together, their laughter at fortune or misfortune melding into one sanctimonious sound of revelry and enjoyment. In the skip of a heartbeat, Milo knew he would stay here forever if he could.
Milo stood awestruck as three robed figures approached the lady with three documents. A small halfling girl with pure white eyes laughed lightly then accepted a coin that the lady offered to her. The three figures nod and leave in turn as the girl flipped the coin and said “yes” then “no” then “yes” again. The lady on the chair smiled and turned to Milo. Milo walked forward slowly, the creatures parting as he advanced.
And then Tymora told Milo all he ever need know.
The sound of angels singing was so sweet that Milo began to cry. Their voices echoed every emotion possible in the beat of a single word. As his eyes adjusted to the bright lights, he wiped away a tear and gazed around. His dirty boots stood on a perfect marble floor that stretched outwards into a haze of white light. All around him were carved stone pillars that vaulted endlessly into the sky, they seemed to move and shimmer with the voices. In the grand hall, creatures of all sorts moved and danced, their faces joyous, their clothes simple. Some turned to watch Milo with glistening gold eyes. Some whispered his name.
Ahead of him, sat in a small, unimposing chair was a female human with gold-flecked skin. Her features were pretty, but not overbearing. She smiled, and a golden light played across the entire chamber. Around her, creatures of many different races played games together, their laughter at fortune or misfortune melding into one sanctimonious sound of revelry and enjoyment. In the skip of a heartbeat, Milo knew he would stay here forever if he could.
Milo stood awestruck as three robed figures approached the lady with three documents. A small halfling girl with pure white eyes laughed lightly then accepted a coin that the lady offered to her. The three figures nod and leave in turn as the girl flipped the coin and said “yes” then “no” then “yes” again. The lady on the chair smiled and turned to Milo. Milo walked forward slowly, the creatures parting as he advanced.
And then Tymora told Milo all he ever need know.
Last edited:
Spider_Jerusalem
Explorer
Part 2 of 2
Thalin stared at where Milo had stood.
“Hold on. Milo’s disappeared.” said Thalin with a hint of concern.
After a few minutes of debating whether the halfling was invisible or had died (and a handful of other possibilities), Torious, Thalin and Mikka jumped back as Milo suddenly blinked back into reality. Right where he had been standing.
“Milo?” asked the three onlookers.
Milo stood thinking for a moment, “I think so.”
“What happened?”
“Umm… I’m not sure you would believe me,” said Milo, his brow furrowed as he tried to work through what he just saw.
“Sure we will,” assured Mikka.
“Well… I guess… that I… maybe saw… I suppose it was a god,” said Milo, looking down at the bronze ring sat snugly on his finger.
Mikka let a high-pitched laugh escape his lips. Torious remained deadly serious.
Thalin looks down at his companion with a sympathetic nod, “Well Milo, these sorts of magical disappearing rings have plenty of side effects. No matter what you saw, a ring that makes you invisible is very useful.”
Milo glanced up at Thalin, who nodded in his arcane musings then resumed walking. Torious followed with a grim look on his face. Mikka watched them go, then hopped over and gazed keenly at Milo's new ring.
“You know, nobody really wants an invisibility ring these days. Maybe you’d do better with something like this…” soothed Mikka as he dug quickly into his robes, but making sure he didn’t take his eyes off of the ring.
With a flourish, Mikka pulled out a gleaming metal spider.
“Oh. I’ve already got one of those.” Milo said as he walked past and tried to keep pace with his companions once more.
- - - - - - - - - -
Two days passed as the four travellers moved westwards. On the eve of the first day, a light snow began to fall. Only Thalin was pleased, as he was used to such weather. Despite the cold, the companions pushed onwards as they passed more roadside shrines and buildings that were just burnt shells. At mid-afternoon of the second day, Torious spotted a thin curl of smoke in the distance of the snow-blanketed land and quickening their pace, the four companions trekked onwards.
After half an hour of hurried jogging, the smoke curl had become a billowing column, and the shouts of men could be heard from within a circle of trees. Dariel swooped above the white landscape and seeing wheeling columns of red, told Thalin that there is a village set back from the road being overrun by knights. Thalin relayed this back to Torious, Milo and Mikka. The heroes decided that stealth was the better option, and they began to creep along the tree line to the villages entrance.
Milo sneaked forwards as a scout, counting on his small frame to hide him from the knights in the town. Ahead of him, just to the side of the sloshed ice-road was a man tied to a stake, his skin cracked and black from what had surely been a pyre built beneath his body.
A sudden thundering of hooves made Milo flatten himself to the ground and motioning to his companions to hide, the halfling watched a detachment of red-robed knights trampled past him and came to a halt on the road. Forty at least, thought Milo. Crawling forwards, the halfling tried to get within earshot of the knights talking.
Thalin held Torious down, his face pressed into the earth to stop him shouting as he squirmed to charge towards Robar.
“Shut up you fool! There are more than fifty of them, you’d just go and get killed!” hissed Thalin as he struggles to hold the aasimar.
Torious strained once but stopped suddenly as he heard a voice call out.
“…and you will return to Darmshall and find these four that I saw,” said Robar as he took his red helm from a nearby squire, “Kill the halfmen, burn the mageling and bring the head of the Tyr-son to me.”
The companions were startled to hear the references to themselves. Watching, Robar issued some commands and two knights departed back into the village, ten knights thundered past towards Darmshall and the remainder turned and follow Robar as he headed westwards.
Letting the knights disperse and watching the two knights heading back into the village, Torious sat up and pushed Thalin off. They stared at each other for a moment in a battle of wills, but are forced to break it up as Milo slid out of the surrounding shadows and beckoned for them to follow. Putting aside their differences, they followed the creeping halfling. Almost losing the slight form of Milo, the remaining three companions stepped out of the trees and onto the road, where Milo had crept up to the staked man.
Milo looked back and said in a hurried voice, “He’s alive!”
Torious pushed past Thalin and Mikka and strode over to the burnt man. As they moved closer, the companions saw that the man was dressed in burnt cleric robes and breathing shallowly, his breathing rasped through his scalded throat.
Milo and Torious immediately stepped over and helped the man down whilst Mikka and Thalin kept a look out to ensure the two knights weren’t returning.
Laying the man on the floor, Torious empowered his healing but stopped as the man cried out in pain as his burns crackled and burst.
“Curses! His wounds… they won’t heal.” said Torious as he struggled to understand why his powers wouldn’t work.
Milo crouched over the man and stared intently into his eyes. Wild with pain, the cleric looked up at the companions who had pulled him down and managed to speak in a halting, crackling voice.
“You, you must… not stay… she is there…” the man coughed violently, his face wracked in agony.
“What?" Shouted Torious, "Why will your wounds not heal?”
“… no… you cannot trust her… the fire is from the abyss… cannot be healed,” wheezed the man, his body suddenly spasming. He grimaced in pain, then spluttered once before speaking his last words.
“You… you cannot trust her… the woman… that woman in red.”
To be continued in…
Ice, Luck and Honour
Chapter 8: Red is the Colour
The heroes face a dilemma as they race to decipher the burnt cleric’s words. Attempting to rescue trapped townsfolk from a burning church, the heroes must overcome their differences as the scent of the scorched town alerts deadly predators.
Thalin stared at where Milo had stood.
“Hold on. Milo’s disappeared.” said Thalin with a hint of concern.
After a few minutes of debating whether the halfling was invisible or had died (and a handful of other possibilities), Torious, Thalin and Mikka jumped back as Milo suddenly blinked back into reality. Right where he had been standing.
“Milo?” asked the three onlookers.
Milo stood thinking for a moment, “I think so.”
“What happened?”
“Umm… I’m not sure you would believe me,” said Milo, his brow furrowed as he tried to work through what he just saw.
“Sure we will,” assured Mikka.
“Well… I guess… that I… maybe saw… I suppose it was a god,” said Milo, looking down at the bronze ring sat snugly on his finger.
Mikka let a high-pitched laugh escape his lips. Torious remained deadly serious.
Thalin looks down at his companion with a sympathetic nod, “Well Milo, these sorts of magical disappearing rings have plenty of side effects. No matter what you saw, a ring that makes you invisible is very useful.”
Milo glanced up at Thalin, who nodded in his arcane musings then resumed walking. Torious followed with a grim look on his face. Mikka watched them go, then hopped over and gazed keenly at Milo's new ring.
“You know, nobody really wants an invisibility ring these days. Maybe you’d do better with something like this…” soothed Mikka as he dug quickly into his robes, but making sure he didn’t take his eyes off of the ring.
With a flourish, Mikka pulled out a gleaming metal spider.
“Oh. I’ve already got one of those.” Milo said as he walked past and tried to keep pace with his companions once more.
- - - - - - - - - -
Two days passed as the four travellers moved westwards. On the eve of the first day, a light snow began to fall. Only Thalin was pleased, as he was used to such weather. Despite the cold, the companions pushed onwards as they passed more roadside shrines and buildings that were just burnt shells. At mid-afternoon of the second day, Torious spotted a thin curl of smoke in the distance of the snow-blanketed land and quickening their pace, the four companions trekked onwards.
After half an hour of hurried jogging, the smoke curl had become a billowing column, and the shouts of men could be heard from within a circle of trees. Dariel swooped above the white landscape and seeing wheeling columns of red, told Thalin that there is a village set back from the road being overrun by knights. Thalin relayed this back to Torious, Milo and Mikka. The heroes decided that stealth was the better option, and they began to creep along the tree line to the villages entrance.
Milo sneaked forwards as a scout, counting on his small frame to hide him from the knights in the town. Ahead of him, just to the side of the sloshed ice-road was a man tied to a stake, his skin cracked and black from what had surely been a pyre built beneath his body.
A sudden thundering of hooves made Milo flatten himself to the ground and motioning to his companions to hide, the halfling watched a detachment of red-robed knights trampled past him and came to a halt on the road. Forty at least, thought Milo. Crawling forwards, the halfling tried to get within earshot of the knights talking.
Thalin held Torious down, his face pressed into the earth to stop him shouting as he squirmed to charge towards Robar.
“Shut up you fool! There are more than fifty of them, you’d just go and get killed!” hissed Thalin as he struggles to hold the aasimar.
Torious strained once but stopped suddenly as he heard a voice call out.
“…and you will return to Darmshall and find these four that I saw,” said Robar as he took his red helm from a nearby squire, “Kill the halfmen, burn the mageling and bring the head of the Tyr-son to me.”
The companions were startled to hear the references to themselves. Watching, Robar issued some commands and two knights departed back into the village, ten knights thundered past towards Darmshall and the remainder turned and follow Robar as he headed westwards.
Letting the knights disperse and watching the two knights heading back into the village, Torious sat up and pushed Thalin off. They stared at each other for a moment in a battle of wills, but are forced to break it up as Milo slid out of the surrounding shadows and beckoned for them to follow. Putting aside their differences, they followed the creeping halfling. Almost losing the slight form of Milo, the remaining three companions stepped out of the trees and onto the road, where Milo had crept up to the staked man.
Milo looked back and said in a hurried voice, “He’s alive!”
Torious pushed past Thalin and Mikka and strode over to the burnt man. As they moved closer, the companions saw that the man was dressed in burnt cleric robes and breathing shallowly, his breathing rasped through his scalded throat.
Milo and Torious immediately stepped over and helped the man down whilst Mikka and Thalin kept a look out to ensure the two knights weren’t returning.
Laying the man on the floor, Torious empowered his healing but stopped as the man cried out in pain as his burns crackled and burst.
“Curses! His wounds… they won’t heal.” said Torious as he struggled to understand why his powers wouldn’t work.
Milo crouched over the man and stared intently into his eyes. Wild with pain, the cleric looked up at the companions who had pulled him down and managed to speak in a halting, crackling voice.
“You, you must… not stay… she is there…” the man coughed violently, his face wracked in agony.
“What?" Shouted Torious, "Why will your wounds not heal?”
“… no… you cannot trust her… the fire is from the abyss… cannot be healed,” wheezed the man, his body suddenly spasming. He grimaced in pain, then spluttered once before speaking his last words.
“You… you cannot trust her… the woman… that woman in red.”
To be continued in…
Ice, Luck and Honour
Chapter 8: Red is the Colour
The heroes face a dilemma as they race to decipher the burnt cleric’s words. Attempting to rescue trapped townsfolk from a burning church, the heroes must overcome their differences as the scent of the scorched town alerts deadly predators.
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Spider_Jerusalem
Explorer
Thanks for the compliments!
I would like to take this opportunity to promote four other Story Hours that I think you might enjoy if you are liking Ice, Luck and Honour. Some of these writers read this, some don't. But these are the story hours that have caught my attention (most are lesser known ones). If you are looking for another story to read, you might want to check these out:
1. Small Beginnings by Enkhidu (and his sidekick)
2. Campaign of DM Cthulu Ftaghn by Cthulu Ftaghn
3. Servants of the Swift Sword by Wicht
4. Dusk in the Land of Fading Stars by Femerus the Gnecro
edit: 5. The Elfblood Wanderers by Bob Aberton
Okay. Less of the promotion. I'm going to post the stats of Milo, Torious and Thalin along with the major items at certain points in the Story Hour. I'll post their chapter 7 stats before chapter 8. Which, by the way, will be coming soonish.
Spider.
I would like to take this opportunity to promote four other Story Hours that I think you might enjoy if you are liking Ice, Luck and Honour. Some of these writers read this, some don't. But these are the story hours that have caught my attention (most are lesser known ones). If you are looking for another story to read, you might want to check these out:
1. Small Beginnings by Enkhidu (and his sidekick)
2. Campaign of DM Cthulu Ftaghn by Cthulu Ftaghn
3. Servants of the Swift Sword by Wicht
4. Dusk in the Land of Fading Stars by Femerus the Gnecro
edit: 5. The Elfblood Wanderers by Bob Aberton
Okay. Less of the promotion. I'm going to post the stats of Milo, Torious and Thalin along with the major items at certain points in the Story Hour. I'll post their chapter 7 stats before chapter 8. Which, by the way, will be coming soonish.
Spider.
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cthuluftaghn
First Post
Thank you for the promotion and the encouragement. That's what we're all here for, after all 
