NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Funeris" data-source="post: 2231697" data-attributes="member: 22792">Chapter 11: The Abbey of SinAlright WizarDru (and others).  I got this email up before midnight...thus fulfilling my promise.  Enjoy <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Heroes stopped at the bottom of an incline.  They had traveled north from Dun Moor several days after purchasing new supplies.  Tobias had been ecstatic that the majority of his gear had been saved.The summer sun beat down on their backs as they stared up the rocky incline.  The path, if it could be called such, was strewn with rocks and boulders that impeded the forest’s growth.  Heavy dust hung in the air and covered all of the rocks.  The drought’s full force and effects bore down on each and every living thing in the area of the trail.At the top of the incline was a mountain of rock.  A recess had been into the tower of rock.  Inside the recess, remains of a Morduk monastery stood silent.  The rays of the setting sun cast twisting shadows over the face of the structure.“How do we want to do this?”  Motega asked, already preparing an arrow.“Did Lady Erigal speak of any other way in?”  Magnus turned to Tobias.  The warrior shook his head in response.“I’ll go first,” Motega grunted.“I’ll follow, it is my mission.”  Tobias responded.  “I’ll give you a lead though.  You are faster and quieter than most of us.”  Magnus and Fitz acquiesced, so the Heroes began the arduous climb upward.Five hundred feet from the gates, a large gong echoed across the hillside.  The Heroes scattered to either side of the trail seeking cover from the large rocks.  The twenty foot high doors of the Abbey roared open.  Scuttling from the darkness, five shaggy humanoids began to pick their way down the slope.  All carried longbows, arrows already drawn back.Motega held up his hand, indicating the number approaching.  Then with quick deft movements, the Rorn indicated the creatures carried bows.  Silently, Motega popped out from behind his boulder and loosed an arrow.  The arrow flew high and wide, only alerting the beasts to the Heroes presence.As Motega leaned back, a barrage of arrows clattered harmlessly against his boulder.  He readied two arrows this time and missed twice again.Tobias managed to score a glancing hit.  But his arrows were as ineffective as the Rorn’s.  Magnus, however, continued to pelt the enemy with crossbow bolts.  The mage calmly waited for the exchange between the front-liners and the opposition.  Once the arrows were released, he popped out and nailed the beasts.Minutes seemingly turned into hours.  Three of the beasts fell to Magnus’ bolts before the remaining two dropped their bows and resorted to blades.  As they came around the boulders, Tobias and Motega met them with their own steel.  Once in face-to-face combat, the creatures couldn’t hold their own.  They fell swiftly to the Heroes’ blades.Tobias took a step forward to finish the approach and Motega laid a hand upon his shoulder.“No.  We camp here tonight.  It can wait one more day.”  The Rorn turned toward the group.  “We have much to discuss.  We’ll camp here.”----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hours later, a small campfire shed cascading reds across the faces of the Heroes.  They had moved the dog-like beasts out of the path and set a camp.  The small fire would probably be noticeable from the Abbey but the Heroes hoped the distance would give them enough time to rally for a defense.  If the remaining beasts were anything like the first group, the Heroes had little to fear.Magnus had been prattling on for what seemed like years.  He talked of all manner of things.  Yet, the mage didn’t seem to be able to hold a single line of thought for more than a few minutes.  His thoughts were incomplete and seemingly random.Motega suddenly interrupted the young mage.  “These were gnolls.  I have dealt with their Roven kin before, but these were nothing more than rabid dogs hardly worth staining a blade upon.”Magnus glanced around the group his crossbow was still laying across his lap.  “Thanks for the advice, Motega.”  The young mage beamed.  “I followed your shots exactly and killed three of ‘em!”  Magnus turned toward the Rornman and noted the scowl growing across his face.  The mage muttered, “Thank you,” and turned to stare into the fire.“If you are done wagging your tongue, mage,” the Rorn started, “I have something to say.“I know that my people are viewed as nothing more than savages outside of our homeland and that may be true.  We are not ignorant to your ways.  We are just as varied as you in our beliefs and practices.  Some of us pursue arcane studies as Magnus does.  Most place their faith in one or more of the Risen Gods, though I do not. Some practice the old ways as Calyx did.  Some even follow other callings,” Motega turned a suspicious eye toward Tobias."No matter what path we choose, my people believe we all have our own Ka....purpose on this world.  I was sent away from my tribe, the Makkapitew to find my Ka because I was jealous of my brother and his gift even though we were both yuma.“I do not yet know what my Ka is, but what I do know is this:  I have seen one not much older than a boy stand up after a blow that would kill most men. I have seen a holy man of Ceria, not only perform minor miracles, but order a priestess of his rival around like a serving wench.  I also now sit in the presence of a twice-born, brought back from the dead with no mark of the divine upon him."Yes, I may not know what my Ka is, but I do know it is linked with the three of you, making us Ka-tet.“I know we each have our own histories.  And that they are varied.  But I think for our Ka-tet to survive, any of us holding back an important fact should come forward now.”  The Rorn cast another glance toward Tobias.  Magnus caught the look and turned toward the twice-born as well.Tobias’ cheeks flushed a bit as he cleared his throat.  “I am not just a twice-born.  I am a Paladin, an Angel worshipper.  I am sorry I did not admit this to you sooner.  I would accept your departures if you decided you could no longer travel beside me.”  The warrior glanced toward the earth.“Shut up,” Motega sputtered.  “I thought you might follow an Achak.  I just wanted to hear the truth from your own lips.”  Motega stood and unsheathed his dagger.  With the blade, he carved a Rorn symbol into his palm.  Turning to the group he held the blade outward.Each member carved the symbol into their hands, allowing the blood to mix upon the blade of the knife.  “We are like family now,” Motega stated firmly."I think I know what you mean by being tied together,” Magnus was the first to break the silence.  “You three and Calyx have been the closest I’ve been to anyone in the last six years.  Traveling beside you has increased my confidence and abilities.”  The mage beamed again.“Not to mention your wealth,” added Tobias with a good-natured grin.“Somehow,” the Rorn cut in, “its been unable to tighten your loose tongue.”  The Rorn smiled as he rolled over onto his bed.  “Now shut up and go to sleep.”</blockquote>

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