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Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spider_Jerusalem" data-source="post: 236806" data-attributes="member: 5507">Thalin VorspenTHALINWhite. White daggers of wind and ice cut and thrust at the wolf pelt cloak of Thalin Vorspen, the tendrils of the ragged fur lashed and snapped at the unrelenting blizzard of cold on all sides. A grimace played across the face wrapped beneath layers of fur and leather as the wind buffeted his body again, forcing a halt. He knew Dariel was having no easier a time high above him. Perhaps he had flown on ahead. The higher plains of the Great Glacier lay behind him, leagues beyond that stretched the frozen plateau which housed the castle of Niall Vorspen, Archmage of the Glacier and father to Thalin. - - - - - - - - - -At first Thalin believed the weather would hold as it was, the darkness of the night sky and the silver darts of stars shimmered off of ice strewn lakes, bathing the castle in deeper shadows that swayed and broke at every step further from the towering walls. The ice was already melting on the outer defences and by morning his father would be standing on the balcony of Frostpike, the tallest and greatest of the eight towers that thrust towards the sky from the safety of the inner walls. Strengthening the outer walls and perimeter chasm was of paramount importance to the Archmage and the distraction would help Thalin put a greater distance between him and his father before his plans were discovered. His father had warned Thalin of the heart lands and the corruption that lay within many times, earlier that night had been one such event, yet its ending had been significantly different to the others.“Only death and war lies in the south,” said Niall. “It is a fools purchase to travel there” Niall did not warrant Thalin a glance as he sat at his study desk pouring over a heavy, leather bound book. As dusk began to set outside, the ring of candelabra surrounding his father caused shadows to dance and slide across Thalin and his father alike. Thalin usually held his tongue in these situations but the longing made him brave and his days were not meant to be lasted out entombed in a castle of ice.“Foolishness is nothing to do with this. You travelled when you were young, as shall I.” said Thalin, his voice shaky.“My travels were needed. Once you are needed in the heart lands then you may go.” He went on, his voice elevating to a harsher tone. “There are more than enough heroes wandering these days, your efforts are better spent here.”“You are wrong father. My days are not meant for this.”    Thalin motioned to the surrounding walls, the sheen of frozen ice that covered the stone work, the rolls of scrolls that littered a nearby table, the books stacked in the corner; somehow immune to the creeping ice. Thalin shook his head slowly. Niall marked his place then looked directly into Thalins eyes as if seeing through him for a deeper truth that hid just beneath the furs and the skin and the bone. If he found it, he did not say.“You stay.” His voice did not ask for a reply, “That is final”Thalin turned and walked slowly out, wishing not to show his father the frustration and defeat that now lined his face and guided his walk. I am not yours to command father, I am meant for greater things.Thalin quickly paced through the cold and labyrinthine tunnels that curled and branched through the castle like hollow veins inside a frozen corpse. Thalin found Dariel perched on the edge of a table in the meat room, his beak ripping slowly at a side of meat. The snow owl familiar turned as Thalin entered, Dariel’s voice echoed into his head. Thalin knew he was concerned, not wanting Thalin to make a rash decision.    Thalin did not respond. Dariel was not one to flinch from the truth and Thalin knew what his companion intoned was indeed true. Thalin carried on through the halls. Dariel followed at a range, swooping from one unlit sconce to the next. His room was sparse and nothing more than a table and bed of furs covered the space, but nothing more was needed, or so his father said. Thalin picked up his meagre spellbook before heading back out the door. Dariel sat on the sconce nearest the room and said nothing as Thalin passed beneath him. The walk to the storage room took him a level deeper and almost directly beneath his fathers study. The air was dryer and colder down here. Thalin clasped the wolf skin cloak around his neck and carefully placed a shoulder of dry meat and half broken loaf of black bread into a slim bearskin pack, his eyes fell upon the scabbard of Shard, his fathers scimitar which lay on the storeroom desk. He stepped quietly over and lifted the sword and scabbard in his left hand whilst drawing the blade out with his right. Dariel silently flew into the room and landed on a stack of boxes, his eyes studying the measured movements of Thalin. A dull light played off the metal and twice flashed into his eyes as the torch light caught the razor edge. A pulse of regret and fear rolled through him. I could still stop this foolishness. But a stronger voice rose within him and Shard was quickly sheathed and tied to his back in a diagonal arc that allowed the right hand to draw it over the shoulder in a swift movement. His training was sparse with the scimitar but Shard was sharp and well balanced, a gilded icicle patterned into the blade and scabbard alike. Thalin looked once more at the storage and mentally checked through what he needed, the furs that covered him should keep the winds at bay, although nothing could help him if he were caught in a blizzard.- - - - - - - - - -The winds ripped past again. Spears of cold lanced through any gaps with unrelenting malice, Thalin pulled the cloak tighter across his chest as another shiver rattled across him. His strides began to slow, the wind seemed to retreat for a second then hammered back with a greater force than before. Thalin felt himself heaved to the left then almost forced backwards as the white pressed into him. His fathers words played through his head, louder and louder. "It is a fools purchase to travel there". The words added to the chorus of the blizzard, forming a howling, screaming chorus as his progress was once again buffeted to a halt. A fools purchase. He knew Dariel had flown on ahead to escape the worst of the blizzard. He resumed his movement, the blizzard eased for another moment and Thalin readied for another blast. Boots and ice seemed to clasp together to add another ten pounds of weight to each footstep and with a sickening cold rush he realised he would not move further. Thalin looked ahead desperately, the ice and wind cutting like knives across his frozen features and collecting in the crusted mane of his beard. Through the torrent of white was a series of low slung buildings ahead, and further in a temple steeple that was broken half way up. Palishuk, Thalin knew at once. He tensed again as the wind smashed into him, his guard came down as the ice cut into his exposed flesh and Thalin fell backwards. Fools Purchase. The snow revolved above him, all the warmth was snapped from his body as he collapsed into the drift behind him. He raised a hand to the whirling flakes of ice above him and grasped for the sky. The sky grasped back. Six huge hands wrapped around his arms and legs and wrenched him free of the snow. Grunts echoed through the white but were quickly carried away by the winds, the three figures around him hauled his body into the frozen streets of Palishuk and stood him against a beaten and abandoned house. Thalin held onto the wall to prevent from falling. The wall acted as a windbreak and the blizzard still howled and screamed behind him but no more knives. Thalin was thankful for that.He looked up at the faces of his rescuers. Their eyes were close together and noses squashed inwards, green skin hung loosely on their faces, as if the person who made them had no conviction for a serious finish. Half-Orcs grimaced Thalin. One of the half-orcs leant forward and sniffed at Thalins cloak hood, then yanked it back. The half-orc laughed something in a guttural tongue but Thalin did not hear, the blizzard carried it away. The half-orc withdrew a long black dagger and pointed it at him. His green skin broke into a yellow toothed grin as he took a step towards Thalin.Only death and war lies in the South.With a grim face, Thalin motioned through the air with his hands, drawing arcane power forth. This would not be pretty, thought Thalin, as the incantation he needed spilled forth from his mouth...</blockquote>

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