Knightfall's World of Kulan: Tales of the Companions Story Hour (Final Update: Sep 20, 2014)

[Knightfall]

Somewhere… else:
The world was swirling around Dabuk so fast that he was sure he was about to be sick. He didn’t understand what was happening. The last thing he remembered was fighting the ogre allies of the Foulsoul, then everything had gone black. Now, as his vision cleared he found himself somewhere else. Nothing looked familiar, not the terrain, not the sky. It was then he realized something was wrong. He couldn’t smell anything or taste the air. It was like all of his senses except his eyes were gone.

He knew what it meant. He was dead.

“This is not good,” Dabuk had meant to say the words but could only think them. Yet, his thoughts resonated around him as if the words had echoed through the air.

The afterlife came into view and Dabuk saw he was standing in a great open field of grass. All around him stood the souls of the dead, waiting for something. The closest ones seemed to be calling out for some such reason. Well, at least that meant he could also hear.

“Look, another comes to be judged by Lord Hades,” one of the souls spoke pointing at Dabuk.

Dabuk remembered his oath and knew if he was brought in front of the great Lord of the Dead that his soul would permanently pass into the afterlife. He would not avenge his mother’s death.

“I have failed you, mother.” Dabuk would have wept if his soul had had tears to shed.

“No mortal, you haven’t failed.” Dabuk looked up to see a huge winged form hovering just above him, an angel of life and death. Bronzed skin, perfect features, death runes burnt into its skin. Draped in white and black garments made from the afterlife itself, a ledger in one hand and a great steel sword in the other.

“Alieus! Alieus! Hades sends his Archangel of Death to claim you for judgement. Bow your head to Hades’ chosen.” The same soul that spoke before cries out in fervor at the angel’s sudden appearance.

“I accept Lord Hades judgement,” Dabuk would not betray his family and friends in death. “I took the oath and I meant it. But I bow down to honor only Lord Rillifane or my mother.”

“You are true to your heart, mortal.” Alieus spoke and all the souls’ listened. “But now is not your time to be judged.”


“I don’t under-“ Dabuk’s words trailed off, as his vision began to fade swirling down into blackness.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

The Wild Plains:
“Well, is he alive?” Garth couldn’t lose his son too.

“I don’t know. His wounds have healed but his spirit seems to be caught in between life and death. It’s like he’s a half-full cup.” Thessa replied.

Mesik held up a torch above Dabuk and the kneeling Thessa. The other heroes stood around the fallen ranger, as an honor guard would a fallen king. None would flinch if more ogres came. They would fight to the death to save each other and their fallen friend.

“It’s strange, he isn’t breathing, but I’m sure the life is flowing back into him.” Thessa looks to Mesik, as if to say ‘what does this oath do’. “This is not natural. It shouldn’t be taking this long.”

“The oath is a powerful thing, Thessa. One does not take it lightly. Whether he comes back or not depends how far his soul has traveled into the afterlife. If Lord Hade’s has judged him then he cannot return.”

“I don’t like it.” Thessa’s words ran deep. “The soul should have a choice.”

“The choice was made in life. It honors the pact that Hades and Cronn made that the souls of the dead that pass through Hades’ Underrealm cannot be brought back to life by dark sorcery or divinity. It is a safeguard against undeath.”

“He took the oath without reservation, Thessa. We all did.” Bactra continued to watch over his fallen cousin, hoping that he would not have to bury family today.

“Including…” Thessa bit her lip, afraid to speak his name.

“Yes, Dvalin took the oath. As did Jeddar, Mesik, and myself.” Bactra replied solemnly. “And another friend who died soon thereafter. It was for him that we took the oath.”

Thessa was about to ask this friend’s name when Dabuk’s body sprang to life. His chest heaved, as the body struggled for the air to continue living. His eyes opened wide, as he spoke a single word.

“Alieus.”

His breathing soon grew calm, as he slept.

“Thank Baervan!” Thessa was relieved beyond words.

“What did he say?” Garth left Kellin and Hougwarth to watch for more ogres, as he and the others gathered around Dabuk more closely.

“He spoke the name of the Chosen of Hades, Alieus, the Archangel of Death. His soul stood on the Plains of Judgement, ready to be brought forward for judgement. Amazing! I’ve never known anyone to come so close to judgement and then come back. It must have been quite the experience if he actually saw the archangel.”

Thessa did not share Mesik’s enthusiasm.

“Thessa, can you give him something to get him moving?” Garth quickly turned his attention back to the task at hand. “We need to warn Onaway of the threat of the Foulsoul.”

“We should wait until he’s had a chance to rest. I don’t think it is wise to move him.”

“We don’t have a choice. If we don’t warn Onaway before the attack goes ahead then there might not be a city left to form an alliance with. Bactra, Mesik, Hougwarth, gather up the mounts and the gear.”

“We should wait!” Thessa was determined to have her way. “Your son’s life is more important than some stupid treaty that might or might not be signed.”

“I won’t risk the life of more innocents. I am going to the city, with or without you or the others. And where I go, my son goes, until he is well enough to decide otherwise, for himself.” Garth’s tone was cold and unyielding. He had made up his mind to push forward.

“You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. I won’t help you risk his life.” Thessa crosses her arms, turning her back on the Justiciar.

“Fine. Then I will simply strap him into his saddle tight enough to keep him from falling off.” Garth picks up Dabuk’s sleeping form, carrying him towards the horses.

Thessa says nothing. Brooding at the stupidity of humans.

“Mesik, bring Dabuk’s horse and some rope from my saddlebags. We’re going to tie him to the saddle. We need to reach Onaway as soon as possible.” Garth knew the mission hung on the edge of failure.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

Preparing to leave:
Several minutes past in silence and darkness. No one was happy about Garth’s decision.

Garth didn’t care what they thought. He had let his emotions cloud his judgment when he had seen his son crushed under the weight of the ogre’s great clubs. He had been willing to give up the mission for one life. Too walk away from his responsibility as the Justiciar and the envoy of the Eastern Shores. He could not afford to make that choice. Not for himself, and not even for his son’s life.

After all, Dabuk had already chosen his path. He had chosen it when he took the Oath of the Dead with his friends. Dabuk was determined not to follow his father’s ways. He had chosen life as an adventurer and all the risks it entailed. Garth had hoped this joint experience would have brought them closer together, that Dabuk one would one day follow his footsteps to become the next Justiciar of the Eastern Shores.

Now, that was impossible. Their viewpoints were too far apart. He saw that now.

Garth and Mesik strapped Dabuk into his saddle. The elven ranger slipped in and out of consciousness, mumbling about archangels, dead souls, and the oath he had made to his mother. Garth remained passive to his son’s words.

Dabuk had made his choice.

“Your upset,” Mesik wanted to explain but knew Garth wouldn’t want to hear it.

“There is nothing to talk about, so don’t try and smooth it over. He lived this time, but the next time he might not be so lucky.” Garth shook his head in disbelief at their decision to take the oath.

“You don’t believe in the oath, do you?” Mesik already knew the answer.

“Hades is not my god,” Garth snapped. “I do not take oaths to death. That ruins life, in my opinion.”

“Do you hate Hades that much?” Mesik didn’t speak the reason why.

“She took his blasted oath and I could not get her back because of it. She died before her time. We should have had years together. And just like her, he didn’t tell me.” Garth looked at his son’s unconscious form; he felt like his heart and will had been betrayed.

“It was his choice, no one forced him. And no one forced your wife. That’s not how it’s done. Don’t you believe in anything but yourself?” Mesik refused to leave Dabuk’s side, glaring at the Justiciar. He wouldn’t give the human the satisfaction of storming off in anger.

“Enough!” Garth tied the last knot so tight that Dabuk moaned. “We go now! And don’t forget who leads this mission, hairfoot!”

“F-fine. Be that way.” Mesik was surprised by Garth’s show of anger. “And I won’t forget a word you have spoken, not now, and not when Dabuk asks me what happened.”

Garth stepped away from his son and Mesik without a word. He double-checked Bactra’s work on Hindle then rechecked it after mounting the great roan. The Justiciar quickly tuned his mount away from the others, riding into the darkness towards Onaway, with Hougwarth in the lead holding a torch too guide the mounted warrior.

“We better go with them,” Bactra had single-handedly prepared all the mounts. He had also convinced Thessa to ‘let it go’ for now. “Let it go, Mesik. Worry about Dabuk, not my uncle. He’s a human and you know how they are about life and death.”

“Aye,” Kellin helped Mesik up onto his warpony. “Garth will get over it.”

Dabuk moaned something undistinguishable in elvish.

Mesik, Bactra, and Thessa all rode alongside Dabuk’s mount. Kellin took up the rear, watching for any signs of attack.

* * *

Up next... the City-state of Onaway awaits!

 

[Knightfall]

The City-state of Onaway awaits:
“We’re close now,” Garth had stopped on a small knoll with only Hougwarth’s torch to provide illumination for the companions to find each other in the darkness. He peered out towards the soft light emanating in the distance, the light of Onaway’s street lamps and torches were barely visible in the darkness.

It had taken longer to traverse the distance to the city than Garth had planned. It couldn’t have been helped, however. Several humanoid encampments had been between them and the city. The allies of the Foulsoul were moving in total darkness, their darkvision and Onaway’s distant glow guiding the war parties slowly towards the city. Garth knew it wouldn’t be long before the humanoid lit their war sconces and rushed towards the coastal city’s walls.

“Well, let’s keep moving then.” Mesik’s tone was taciturn and disapproving. “The faster we can get Dabuk to a powerful healer, the better.”

“I-I’ll be fine. Don’t worry so much about me, Mesik.” Dabuk had regained consciousness along the way. Mesik hadn’t yet spoke to the boy regarding his and Garth’s harsh words. It didn’t matter, Dabuk knew something was wrong, but also knew it could keep.

“You’ll be leaving in a minute, friend. First, I must say goodbye.” It was Kellin.

“What? Why?” Bactra wondered if Dabuk’s cold demeanor towards the giant man had finally gotten to Kellin.

“Don’t worry, I can take care of myself and I have this gut feeling I will not be welcome in the City of Onaway. Ogres are openly reviled here and with good reason. It will be easier for you to gain entry into the city without me along.”

“Take care, Kellin.” Hougwarth offered his hand in friendship. “I would go with you but I feel I must stay with these friends.”

“Be careful, Hugh. The city’s citizens may not accept you right away.” Kellin shook the vonakyndra’s hand without pause.

“I will.”

“I had a feeling you were going to leave. I wish I could say it has been more fun than work on this journey, old friend.” Garth nodded to Kellin, as the giant man patted Bactra’s horse.

The others said goodbye, one after the other, all except for Dabuk. He did not speak or look at Kellin as the giant man returned the good cheer of the others. He did not say a thing until the ogre had disappeared into the darkness and the heroes had continued on towards Onaway.

“Good riddance.” Dabuk mumble the words under his breath, happy to see the giant man gone from his sight. The only way he could have been happier is if Kellin laid dead before him, Dabuk’s sword in the ogre’s throat.

Only Bactra heard his words.


* * *


An hour past and then another. Soon the walls of Onaway were visible under the glow of lamplight and the many torches being carried on the wall by soldiers. So far, there hadn’t been any more ogre encampments, although the companions had barely avoided a patrol of merrow and orcs.

“Look at the walls. They’re in pieces. Is this a city or a ruin?” Bactra’s eyes found the cracks and gaps in the wall before any of the others could see any detail. “There, up ahead on the right. There’s a huge hole right in the wall.”

“If the ogres attack, the people here won’t stand a chance.” Dabuk saw the opening, as well as a campfire burning and several torches moving around the opening in the darkness. “There is some sort of guard post near the opening.”

“I see them.” Garth wondered whether they should go to the main gate or try their luck with wall outpost. “Hougwarth, you hold back. We don’t want to spook those guards.”

“Aye.”

“Everyone dismount.” They’ll be more likely to simply question us first if we appear non-hostile.

“Well, this should be interesting.” Mesik sighed.

The adventurers dismounted, moving slowly towards the opening in the wall of the City of Onaway.

* * *

 

[the Jester]

Well, I'm still catching up but at least now I'm only a page and a half behind!

Good stuff, Knightfall1972! Keep it coming... and maybe, hopefully, eventually I'll have read the whole thing.


One quick question- could you post an updated list of the pcs with their levels and stuff? Though- I get the impression that this is an old 2e game, is this correct?

 

[Knightfall]

Well, I'm still catching up but at least now I'm only a page and a half behind!

Good stuff, Knightfall1972! Keep it coming... and maybe, hopefully, eventually I'll have read the whole thing.

Glad too hear someone is reading it.

One quick question- could you post an updated list of the pcs with their levels and stuff? Though- I get the impression that this is an old 2e game, is this correct?

You are correct. This was a 2e campaign.

The PCs in the game are:
Dabuk Tigerstorm [chaotic good half-elf male ranger (stalker kit)]
Bactra Redwind [neutral elf male mage (ex-peasant wizard kit)]
Jeddar Silversun [neutral good half-elf male bard (blade kit)]: at this point, Jeddar's player wasn't able to play.

A list of on & off NPCs in the game (key characters):
Crystal Tigerstorm [neutral good human female mage (ex-necromancer)]
Dvalin Thunderstone [neutral good dwarf male fighter (no kit)]
Garth Tigerstorm [lawful neutral human male ranger (justiciar kit)]
Hougwarth Medinton [neutral good wood giant male fighter (myrmidon kit)]
Kellin One-Eye [lawful good ogre fighter male]
Mesik Tindertwig [lawful neutral halfling male thief (no kit)]
Rikin Stonefossil [lawful good dwarf male fighter (no kit)]
Salisan Marg [neutral good reef giant male]
Thessa Simmial [neutral good gnome female priest of Baervan (no kit)]

The most current PCs & NPCs in the party are in bold.

As for levels, I didn't track levels from adventure to adventure, so I don't remember exactly. The main PCs were probably around 5th level by the post above. Mesik level was slightly lower than the PCs level, while most of the other NPCs are at least 2 to 3 levels higher. Dvalin was around 6th to 8th level when the PCs were 3rd level, but he progressed very slowly so the PCs soon made up a lot of the difference.

Cheers!

KF72

 

[the Jester]

Thanks!

 

[Knightfall]

A Hole in the Wall:
Bren hated his job.

Being a Guardsman in Onaway was never a picnic, but somehow he always ended up with the worst assignments. And nothing was worse that hole guarding duty. The walls of Onaway had been this way since he was a boy. The populace would try to fix them up by mundane or magical means, and the next warlord or humanoid warband that came along would simply knock holes in it again.

Of course, the worst part was the lackeys his superiors gave him. Handel and Travar were the stupidest louts he’d ever known, yet time and again Bren found himself guarding one of the gaping holes in the city wall with the dumb duo.

If anyone had wanted to attack here, the dumb duo wouldn’t be a lick of help.

“Har, har, ‘ou a funny man, Handel.” Travar slapped his knee while swigging old, warm whisky. “Tell me ‘nother one.”

The two were busy swapping stupid limericks and getting drunk out of their head. Bren would split their skulls himself if he didn’t think he end up in the reformatory. He did his best to ignore them as he scanned the darkness for danger, a torch in one hand and his short sword in the other.

“Alrighty then,” Handel threw several logs on the fire and almost fell in himself. “What do ‘ou git when ‘ou stuff a piggy with ‘our missus?”

“I d-dunno ‘now.” Travar was so drunk he’d laugh at a inchworm falling off a leaf. “Tells me, my good man.”

“A meal ‘orth its ‘eight in girl.”

“Har, har!” Travar spit up his swig on his tunic and on the fire.

The flames roared up increasing the local illumination out by several feet. Bren saw, in that instance, several men walking slowly towards their position. Then as quickly as the light flared up, it died away.

“I saw something,” Bren was sure he hadn’t imagined it.

“Ah, ‘ous always seeing something,” Handel tipped back his tankard, letting all the whisky pour down his throat and down his tunic.

“Shut up! And get up you filthy dogs! I’m dead serious!” Bren took a step out into the darkness his torch in front of him.

“Hey, ‘ous best be giving me the r-respect mes deserve. I am a noble’s son, remember that ‘ou old bastard.” Travar stumbled to his feet without somehow falling forward.

Bren ignored Travar’s insult, as he took another step into the darkest. The light shone far enough that he could see their shadowed forms. None held a blade openly in his direction, although one did carry a staff. A wizard perhaps?

“State your intentions, or I will have you run through!” It was a weak challenge considering he didn’t have anyone to back him up. He could here his men stumbling around, retching their meals and whisky on the ground, and then silence.

Bren didn’t have to see. He just knew – his men had passed out.

“Not with those men you won’t, soldier.” A man’s voice commanded though the darkness, strong, confident, very sure of himself. “And you haven’t anything to fear from me or my companions.”

“Prove it,” Bren took another step towards the figures in front of him. “Lay down your weapons and prepare to be searched and questioned.”

“Fine.”

Bren watched, as the semi-lit forms of five humanoids began removing and dropping weapons of all sorts. He could see them clearly enough to note they weren’t all human. One was definitely an elf and two other were most likely hairfoots or some other kind of small folk. Bren could make out the shadowed forms of five mounts as well.

“Well, we’re not going to wait all night. You’re going to have to search and question each of us yourself, now that your fellow guards have passed out.” The voice was the elf’s, Bren was sure of it. It was high, lilting, yet strong.

“Damn it,” Bren knew they could have taken him without breaking a sweat. “Never mind that now. Just tell me where you’re from and what you’re doing sneaking into Onaway this time of night?”

“We’re envoys from the Eastern Shores. We’ve come here to offer the citizens a equal and mutually beneficial alliance from the King of Thallin,” Garth replied in earnest.

Bren was speechless. He had guessed they were adventurers, but he hadn’t considered the possibility they weren’t local to the Wild Plains.

“If you don’t mind, we’d like to gather up our things and then have you take us to your commander as soon as possible. Thessa here,” Garth motioned to the gnomish priestess. “Can help your men regain their wits. They’re going to need them. A vast army of ogres and the like are massing in the darkness, in preparation for an attack on your city. We fought some of them ourselves. The city must be warned.”

“Damn it,” Bren ran back into the hole without another thought. “Not again!”

He grabbed his bow and quiver heading for a stone staircase leading up onto the ruined wall. Once at the top he quickly lit several arrows wrapped in cloth and doused with oil. He rose his bow straight up and fired. The burning arrow streaked through the night air coming down several hundred feet away from the hole.

Garth stood behind the Guardsman of Onaway as he took another arrow and shot it up into the air as well, arching it in the other direction. Dabuk and Mesik found their way up onto the cracking battlements just in time to see dozens of fiery arrows arching through the air for as far they could see the red light of the fire streaking through the night.

“That’s some warning system you’ve got soldier.” Garth watched the precision of each arrows flight with admiration. Obviously, not all the city’s soldiers were as incompetent as the two drunkards being tended by Thessa.

“Yes, too bad we don’t get much of a chance to use it. Attacks usually come in total darkness and we’re completely unprepared.”

“Look, out in the distance!” Bactra pointed to where dozens of fiery points of light started blinking into existence. “The ogres are preparing to attack!”

“They won’t get through, damage to the wall or not. Our men are good at defending these walls under all conditions.” Bren fired two other flaming arrows, both down along the outside of the wall.

Brush and oil lit in the beat of heart. The fire quickly spread along the wall igniting several trenches of peat and kindling.

“Wait, where’s Hougwarth?” Garth worried the vonakyndra would be trapped on the other side of the fire.

“Who?” Bren asked quizzically.

“Another travelling companion,” Garth looked over the wall for any signs of the wood giant. “He is a little intimidating, so we thought it best he hold back until we could prove our good intentions.”

“A barbarian, is he?” Bren had heard legends about such men.

“Not exactly, he’s a vonakyndra.” Dabuk easily scrambled down the stone staircase.

“He’s kidding, right?” Bren was in awe of these adventurers. If they truly had a folk legend as a travelling companion, they must be quite experienced.

“No, he’s not.” Bactra watched as the outer fire ran down the entire length of the ruined city wall. The bright light of the fire was turning night into a crimson dusk. He couldn’t see any sign of the wood giant. “Dabuk, anything?”

A moment’s pause, with only the sounds of the blaze of kindling, echoed silence in response.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

The Ruined City of Onaway:
“There’s so many of them,” Mesik Tindertwig didn’t like their chances. “How can you hope to stop them all?”

“We won’t stop them all but they won’t get through to the city’s interior. The firebreak will make sure many of them are scorched badly before they breech the outer perimeter.” Bren knew it would be a long night. “Did you find him?”

“No,” Garth was staring out over the roaring flames of the firebreak. He carefully picked his way along the ruined walls of Onaway, as he scanned the darkness for any signs of the vonakyndra. “I don’t like this. It’s not like him to just up and disappear. The ogres aren’t close enough to have spooked him.”

“Father, he’ll be alright.” Dabuk said the words but felt the hollowness of his reassurance. Hougwarth wasn’t the most skilled warrior he’d ever met and if he got into trouble alone, he’d likely end up dead. “And even if something does happen to him, it’s not our fault. He was only suppose to hang back, not wander off.”

“This Hougwarth is a vonakyndra, correct? They are said to be magical creatures capable of great feats of strength and be able to blend in with the natural world. Perhaps he is more like the legends I grew up with than you realize.” Bren hoped he was right.

Garth sighed. “Not everything is as legends say. I can attest to that.”

Bren looked at him puzzled. Dabuk wondered where his father was at that moment. He seemed miles away.

“Why don’t they just attack? The longer they wait, the better prepared the city will be.” Mesik gripped the handle of Sheao in one hand, the blade still in its sheath.

“Their leaders are either trying to decide whether or not to attack at all or wait until the firebreak dies down. My coins are on the latter.” Bren walked over to Garth who was still looking for their lost companion. “I cannot any longer. We must go through the tangle maze, prepare the inner defenses, and warn the sentries of the interior of the city. They’ll have seen the lit firebreak but will need to know exactly what their up against.”

Garth knew Hougwarth was beyond his protection. Bren had explained that the firebreak and outer wall wouldn’t hold the ogre hordes at bay. Just beyond the wall was a maze of ruined buildings, streets, and overgrown vines that were next to impossible to circumnavigate with out a guide. It was this that truly protected the citizens of Onaway. Bren was one of the only men in the ‘city’ who knew the easiest and safest ways through the tangle maze.

Garth turned away from the hot flames of the break. “Let’s go.”


* * *


In the Briar Patch:
“What kind of city is this,” Bactra felt lost even though Bren assured him that they were going the right way. "“How can you ever hope to find anything in this mess?”

“Practice.” Bren had memorized the ‘tangles’ as a boy. He had been a shoe-in to become a member of the Guardsmen. Of course, he had wanted to be one of the trappers of the maze, but his lowborn status had meant standard guard duty or hole duty. Still, he knew his way through the tangles better than anyone else in Onaway.

“And I thought the labyrinth was complicated.” Dabuk’s head hurt.

“See, I told you all that training was good for something.” Mesik laughed.

“Shut up.”

“How much further, Bren?” Garth was having a hard time in the confines of the tangles, his armor weighing him down and slowing him to a crawl. Yet, he refused to leave it behind, even after Bren had insisted. He had stated matter-of-factly that Bren would have to kill him first.

“An hour or more at this pace.”

“If I fall behind, go on without me.” Garth was trailing everyone.

“No one gets left behind in the tangles. It’s a death sentence for the uninitiated.” Bren looked around for the telltale signs of the traps and pitfalls scattered throughout the street he was leading them down. He could tell that this path was heavily trapped. The vines and weeds were careful grown and cultivated so that a trapper could ‘see’ the traps. It could be as simple as a vine twined around a stone pillar or a patch of blue moss denoting the location of a trigger.

The overgrowth in the street was more than it should be, however. Bren stopped in his tracks and was glad that these adventurers were seasoned enough to understand his signal for danger.

“What, what is it?” Mesik felt as lost as Dabuk.

“The cultivators haven’t been on this street for months. Damn it, I can’t find the right path. We’re going to have to topside.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.” Garth was sore but determined to be who the North Gods had made him.

“This way,” Bren lead to the left and into a ruined stoned building that stretched four stories high. “There’s a stone, spiral staircase in here near the back of the building. It’s hidden but it’s sound.”

“And once we get topside, as you say, how do we find our way then?” Thessa climbed over a large, green vine, the color darkened by the shadowy light of Garth’s torch.

“Very carefully,” Bren smiled but none saw as the Onan had his back towards the group. He walked through the open doorway of the ruin, looking for any signs of cracking in the stone floor. He knew many of these old ruined buildings didn’t suffer time well. Many a younger scout or trapper had lost his life by failing to see failing stone.

“I feel like I’m on some sort of alien plane of existence.” Bactra kept one eye on Bren and the other on the ruins surrounding them. “It’s so surreal.”

“Now I know why we couldn’t bring the mounts with us, although I hated leaving Hindle with those two morons.” Garth’s mount was more than just a steed. He was bonded to the ranger by years of trust and friendship.

“They’ll do what they’re told and stay out of harms way.” Bren hadn’t like leaving the mounts with Handel and Travar, but there hadn’t been a choice. The beasts wouldn’t have made it even halfway to where they were now. The two Guardsmen would hide themselves from any ogre attack and they knew if the horses came to harm that Bren would do more than just scold them. A thought flashed through the Onan’s mind.

“Besides, those two are probably safer with your warhorses protecting them then the other way around. If trouble find them, I’m sure your mounts will fight bravely.”

“That’s more than we can say about Handel and Travar.” Thessa’s jibe did little to lessen Garth’s concerns.

“Here it is.” Bren pulled away handfuls of vines to reveal a small spiral staircase made of stone. The structure coiled up a disintegrating stone pillar that looked like it was about to topple over. The top of the staircase disappeared into the darkness above.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” Mesik wanted to take his chances with the streets. “You call that sound?”

“In the tangled mazes… yes.” Bren began to ascend the stairs. Pulling away more vines as he climbed.

“Well, you only live once.” Dabuk quickly fell in behind the Onan, while the others looked on in disbelief.

“Damn, I knew I should have stayed in the Knotwood.”

“Come on, cousin. This should be like climbing a tree for you.” Dabuk laughed.

“Ha, ha. Very funny, you know I hate climbing anything.”

“Shut up you two and keep moving.” Garth was having enough trouble without dealing with idle banter. “Bactra, you then Mesik, then Thessa. I’ll take up the rear. Move it!”

The group of adventurers moved, as one, up the staircase, following the natural coil, as a snake would it’s own skin up a tree. Once at the top, Bren tried pushing open a trapdoor, which was weighed down by vines. Dabuk and Bactra had to help him force it open.

They staggered out onto the rooftop of the building. Bren tried not to smile as Thessa gasped in disbelief and the others stared out over the ruined rooftops of the tangle maze of the city of Onaway.

As far as they could see, which wasn’t far in the darkness were even more vines than on the streets below. The overgrown plants covered everything. Everything except a series of catwalks made of metal, wood, and rope. Beyond the view of their torch, the heroes could see the burning flames of the firebreak and thousands of pinpricks of fiery light scattered across the rooftops, contrasting with the pinpricks of light shining down from the stars above. Kulan’s twin moons shining together, one waxing and one waning.

“Rillifane!” Dabuk was at a loss.

“Welcome, my friends, to the upper-tangle.” A horn sounded in the distance and Bren’s face grew grim. “We best hurry, the ogres are coming as we speak. If we’re lucky, we’ll reach the inner wall before they do.”

“Wow, I feel like I’m on the Dreaming Plane.” Bactra said it but they all felt it.

* * *

 

[the Jester]

Finally caught up!

I love the tangles- I'll have to steal the basic idea for city defense sometime. Sounds like it would work well in Var, actually...