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

[Knightfall]

Melee in the Tangles (Conclusion – Part 2):
Garth gripped Bactra’s quarterstaff in both hands swinging it over his head in challenge to the advancing ogre. The beast man charged in defiance of the Justiciar’s bravado. Garth stepped to one side and swung the stout, iron-shod staff, once into the brute’s ankle and the second time into the back of its knee. The ogre brute stumbled but did not fall.

“Fall down, damn you,” Garth cracked the ogre on the back of both ankles and third shot grazed its groin. “Down you brute and stay down!”

The ogre brute howled like it was baying at the moon, swinging its flail around to crush Garth. It missed. Garth did not. He swung the staff over and over into its ankles, Achilles, knees, and shins. The ogre brute couldn’t stay on its feet, falling to its knees. It swung its flail back and forth but Garth knew how to stay out of the path of the overextending ogre’s reach. He worked over its back aiming for the spine, ribs, and hipbones. The ogre swung again, losing its weapon, as it slipped from its hands.

“Not so arrogant now, are you?” Garth stepped to the side and began pounding the ogre’s sagging arms, as it tried to lift its fallen flail with both hands. Elbow, wrist, wrist again, the beast man dropped the fail again. It roars and slams its fist into Garth’s chest. The Justiciar takes the blow and hits the ogre’s other elbow over and over again.

The ogre brute reaches for its healing fetish skulls but Garth slams the quarterstaff into its fingers and wrist. The ogre grunts and sags forward. Garth swings the staff up into the ogre brute’s chin, once, twice, three times. He hears the ogre’s jaw crack.

“Finally,” Garth steps back, blocks the ogre’s clumsy swing, and slams the end of the staff into the creature’s sagging forehead. “Now it ends!”

“It will never end, human. You can kill a dozen of my kin and a dozen more will take their place. You can try to burn us out, defile our people with magic, and we will still keep coming. The scions of my race will grind your kingdoms to the ground and enslave your populations long after you and I are dead.” The ogre brute’s poor Common speech was broken through its shattered jaw, but its menace was clear.

“I think my son will have something to say about that,” Garth’s head turned at the sound of his son screaming. “No!”

“You’re arrogance will be the end of your pathetic kind, human.” The ogre laughed. “See, you’re son dies, even now.”

The two watched as Dabuk pulled the blade out of his back, turned, and thrust the weapon into the other ogre’s groin. The beast howled and Dabuk finished the cut.

“Defiler!” The ogre brute reached for his weapon on the ground, but Garth slammed the weapon into the beast man’s outstretched hand.

“You underestimate us, beast!” Garth brought the other end of the staff up into the ogre’s throat, as hard as his aching muscles would allow.

The ogre brute wasn’t finished, balling its other fist slamming it into Garth. The blow knocked Garth back several feet, but the ranger stayed on his feet, gripping the staff in one hand. Garth chided himself on his stupidity. The ogre had been waiting him out, gathering its strength. It flexed its hand, grabbed its flail off the ground, and began to stand.

“You are the one overestimating your importance.” The ogre pointed to Dabuk who was crawling along the ground. “I will teach you and your faltering son, over there, the true reach of Vaprak’s will.”

The ogre rushed Garth, swinging its flail with skill and menace.


* * *


Bactra soon found himself crawling around on his hands and knees trying to find Thessa’s pack – anyone’s pack. He had stopped Thessa’s bleeding and now needed to find anything to bring her around. She was the best hope for all of them.

Then he heard Dabuk scream.

“Rillifane, where are you? Guide me, please!” Bactra felt a surge of adrenaline and he was soon on his feet hobbling around the avenue.

He located Mesik who has slipped back into unconsciousness and nearly jumped for joy when he found Garth’s pack. It was in tatters and had obviously been rummaged through. He searched through it anyway. Most of the vials were destroyed but two were intact. Both were clearly labeled and Bactra thanked both Rillifane and his uncle’s need to be organized.

Bactra limped back to Mesik and checked his hairfoot friend. He was breathing and seemed stable enough. He knew Thessa would die without help, so he made the only choice he could.

“Sorry Mesik, Thessa comes first.”

Bactra stumbled back towards the gnome priestess, praying that he would be in time, and that Mesik wouldn’t pay for his decision, with his life.


* * *


Dabuk felt like he was going to throw up. There was blood everywhere. His, the ogres, and some that he wasn’t sure where it had come from. Plus, the beast’s “member” was lying in a pool of blood nearby. The smell was horrible. He’d lost the ogre’s dagger again, not that he wanted to ever touch it again. The thought was enough to send his stomach pitching into his throat, meeting blood and phlegm, and then spilling out onto the ground.

“Ugh, I f-feel terrible.” Dabuk barely got the words out.

“I’m going to gut him like a stuck pig!”

Dabuk heard the words in Giant from the ogre and knew he didn’t have much time. Then his hands brushed against steel and he knew his luck had changed. He grabbed his short sword and pushed himself to his feet. He turned just in time to see the fallen ogre crush another one its skull fetishes over its groin.

“No more of that,” Dabuk moved in and cut through the leather of the ogre’s belt. The stroke didn’t sever the belt but it did dislodge it so Dabuk could grab hold and cut away the rest of it. The half-elf ranger pulled the belt off the ogre just as the beast man reached for another fetish.

“Damn you, elfspawn!” The creature tried to reach Dabuk as it held its groin. “You will suffer a fate worse than death!”

“Whatever,” Dabuk threw the belt away. He’d rather die than use one of the ogre fetishes. “Time to die.”

Dabuk steeled his resolve, breathed in as best as he could, and rushed past the ogre’s clumsy attack. He dodged the ogre’s other fist, as it came down, thrusting his sword into the ogre’s shoulder. The ogre growled in Dabuk’s face and tried to bite him. Dabuk punched the ogre in the eye, pulled his sword free, and rolled away. The beast fell towards the ranger trying to crush him under its bulk. Dabuk threw himself over a pile of rubble, towards his father who was still battling against the other ogre. The brute came crashing down behind him, its head slamming into the debris.

“That was almost fun,” Dabuk breathed out then coughed. “Ow.”

He picked himself off the ground and turned to see his handiwork. The ogre brute was still on the ground but Dabuk didn’t buy into the beast man’s bluff.

“N-nice try, stupid.” Dabuk picked up a rock and threw it against the creature’s skull. “I’m falling for that old trick.”

The beast roared to life, crawling towards Dabuk on its hands and knees, very fast.


* * *


Garth met the ogre brute’s charge with zeal. He used the quarterstaff like a spear, aiming for its knee. The ogre brought down its flail, which the Justiciar dodged. The staff impacted the brute’s knee. The staff held, but the knee didn’t. A loud crack echoed across the avenue. The ogre roared in pain falling to the ground.

“And, this time, you won’t be getting up.” Garth rushed up the ogre brute’s back and slammed the staff against the back of the creature’s neck. The beast man groaned, as its limbs went limp. Garth slammed the staff into its neck over and over until the evil giant stopped moving.

He turned just in time to see Dabuk get crushed under the weight of the other ogre. He prayed his son still lived, running quickly to his aid.


* * *


Thessa woke coughing and moaning. The healing draughts slowly worked their way through her body.

“Welcome back,” Bactra stared down at her in relief. “But don’t get to comfortable. Mesik needs your help and so do the rest of us.”

“Ow, my head feels like it going to explode.” The gnome priestess sat up shaking the cobwebs out of her head. Here eyes cleared just in time to see Garth bring down the ogre brute. “Where is Mesik? You said he needs my help.”

“Over there, I’ll guide you.” Bactra tried to help her up, but his leg was oozing. “Damn, I can’t stand anymore.”

“You need help, that could fester.” Thessa wasn’t sure who too help first.

“Mesik might be dying, I’ll live. Go on, over there.” Bactra sat down pointing towards where he had been forced to leave Mesik. “Go on!”

Thessa stumbled away towards Mesik. She found him lying perfectly still, near death. She poured healing into him and was relieved to see him breathing. She made sure he was out of danger before hobbling back towards Bactra.

“How is he?” Bactra wore intense emotions and pain on his face.

“He’ll live, now show me that leg.” Her tone was unmistakable.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bactra tried to smile but it came out more as a grimace as Thessa began casting another healing spell into his leg, as well as adjusting his makeshift splint.

“I’m going to have to teach you how to do this better.” Thessa untied several ropes and discarded several blood soaked bits of cloth. “Much longer like this and you’re leg could have become infected or worse.”

Healing energy poured into Bactra’s leg from Thessa’s spell and he could feel bone and flesh knitting together. The leg began to throb and the pain increased. Thessa reset the splint and cast one more cure into his leg.

“That’s all I can spare you right now,” Thessa looked towards where Garth was standing. “I’ll have to see how Garth and Dabuk are. And then I’ll want to check on Mesik again.”

“Understood.” Bactra could feel blood pumping through the limb again, which did little to ease the pain beginning to throb in his leg, as well as his head.

“Thessa!” The gnome priestess looked up to see Garth waving at her. “Dabuk is dying! I need you over here, now!”


* * *


Dabuk hadn’t been fooled by the ogre’s ploy, but he had been surprised by how fast the creature came at him on all fours. The ranger lashed out just as the ogre reached out to grapple him. The short sword sliced off one of the beast’s fingers and another slash cut its hand from the palm to behind the wrist. The ogre then dropped its body on the half-elf, crushing him. It didn’t see Dabuk twist his weapon up at the last minute, however. The blade thrust up into the beast man’s chest.

The creature howled, rolling off Dabuk, clutching at its chest where the blade had sunk in to the hilt. It tried to grasp the small weapon, but couldn’t get a hold. The ogre laid down struggling in vain to get the blade out of his chest. He didn’t see Garth until it was too late.

“Hello, remember me!” Garth slammed the quarterstaff down on the creature’s temple and the beast man’s eyes rolled into the back of its head. Its body twitched until Garth brought the staff down again on the other temple.

The Justiciar rushed to his son’s side. He looked dead. He looked back towards where Bactra had been helping Thessa and was relieved to see Thessa attending Bactra.

“Thessa! Dabuk is dying! I need you over here, now!”

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

Melee in the Tangles (Aftermath):
“Dabuk! Dabuk, can you hear me?” The voice sounded like a trumpet in the half-elf ranger’s ears.

“Ugh, not so loud.” Dabuk woke to a splitting headache and double vision. He knew this because he only ever one gnome, not the two that were looking down at him now.

“How do you feel?” Thessa propped up Dabuk’s head feeding him water.

“Like someone dropped a dragon on me,” Dabuk gurgled while drinking the water.

“Don’t exaggerate,” Thessa had used up all of her healing ability for the day. “I’m being serious.”

“So am I,” Dabuk wheezed. “My chest hurts and my head feels like its going to fall off. And my feet are numb.”

“Well, that’s a good sign. I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to heal your legs. The ogre would have crushed and smothered you if you hadn’t stuck the beast with your sword. You were lucky you didn’t kill it or we would have had to roll it off you. By then it would have been too late.”

“Thanks, I’ll remember that,” Dabuk tried to remember where he was, but his memory was foggy. He wasn’t surprised that an ogre had landed on him, as it wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. “Someone remind me where are we again, please? Everything is a little fuzzy.”

“Tangles.” Bactra bent over his cousin with concern.

“What?” Dabuk didn’t have a clue what Bactra meant. “Tangle what?”

“No son, the tangled ruins of Onaway, remember?” Garth looked at Thessa with concern, as Dabuk tried to process what they were trying to tell him.

“He’s as healed as I can get him, at this point. His body has taken an awful shock to its system. Blood is again pumping to the healing areas, which means he’ll be a bit dull-witted for a while.”

“When isn’t he dull-witted.” Mesik smirked.

“Oh, very funny,” Dabuk’s vision began to clear and the healing energy continued to seep through his body. He saw that they were on a roof somewhere in a ruined city just like his father had said. It seemed familiar with its clinging vines and crumbling stonework. Then a name came in a flash. “Bren, how is he?”

“There we go,” Thessa laid his head down on what remained of one of the backpacks. “Bren isn’t with us right now. He went to give his report to the garrison, remember?”

“No, but I’m sure it will come back to me.” Dabuk closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

“Shouldn’t we keep him awake?” Mesik’s grin faded to concern.

“No, it will be all right,” Thessa sighed. “I took care of the worst of his injuries down on the avenue. We wouldn’t have been able to move him or bring him up here if I hadn’t.”

Thessa had gotten to Dabuk just in time. She had been forced to dump her most powerful healing spells into the ranger just to stabilize him enough to be moved. Garth had been relatively fine and had insisted on her using most of her spells on Dabuk and the others.

Those first few minutes after the last ogre had died were tense, to say the least. They weren’t sure if more ogres would arrive and Dabuk had been too hurt to be moved right away. Mesik had scouted the route that Bren had taken down the avenue, being overly careful not to spring any of the Onans’ laid traps. He found no signs of other ogres, so they had risked staying put until Dabuk was well enough to travel.

They found a way up on to the rooftops and carefully selected a defensible position with enough room to set up an area to let Dabuk rest. Thessa waited to see if her friend would wake on his own but after a good 5 to 10 minutes of waiting she decided to use a scroll she kept with her in case of emergency.

Dabuk woke up just as the last healing spell took effect throughout his body.

“The question now becomes, what do we do next?” Bactra’s leg was healing nicely and he could finally stand on it without aid.

“Now, we wait.” Garth laid down on the cold, cracked stone pulling his cloak over himself. “And hope it is Bren who finds us first, and not more ogres or something else.”

They all decided that sleep was best, except for Bactra who wouldn’t need to enter the Reverie until just before sunrise.

“I hope Hougwarth is okay?”

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

The Night of Fire:
Hougwarth Medinton, or Hugh to his friends, was frustrated when cutoff from his traveling companions. The fire had come out of nowhere and he hadn’t been able to cross it in time. The fire had been placed to keep intruders out, of that he was sure. It was a simple, yet effective barrier, as the flames rose higher than he was tall.

It hadn’t kept the ogre from crashing through the walls, at least, not the huge ones. The smaller ogres, that were closer to him in height, had balked at the idea of crossing the barrier. The huge ogres had insisted, however, going so far as to pushing or throwing their smaller kin through/over the barrier.

The result was to be expected.

“Stupid,” Hugh wonder how he could possibly be related to such walking imbeciles. He had watched from a distance, as the ogre hordes through themselves at the walls of Onaway. Those few archers and swordsmen that fought them on the walls died quickly, but with great honor and courage.

The humans through themselves at the towering beast men with everything they had. A few hedge mages and adepts joined the fray, but they weren’t very effective against so many opponents. Hugh watched all that he could, but decided it was better not get directly involved, as the humans were more likely to shoot first.

Not that he spent the onslaught cowed in a ditch somewhere. He was a warrior dedicated to the ideals of good and honor. He spent the Night of Fire fighting against isolated groups of ogres or trolls that found themselves cutoff from the rest of the horde. For while Hugh believed in honor, he also believed in good tactics.

He moved around the field of battle as stealthily as he could attacking the hordes supply lines and reserve forces. He didn’t see Kellin anywhere out in the darkness, but he had a feeling the ogre that had become his friend was out there as well, dealing damage to the horde.

Several times during the night Hugh came across groups of dead ogres that he hadn’t killed and that had definitely been killed by someone using a bladed weapon designed for a large humanoid or giant. He smiled at his friend’s handiwork and showed genuine appreciation for Kellin’s skills when he came across several dead commanders near the back lines of the horde.

The two giant were not the only ones fighting a guerilla war against the horde, as many locale foresters, militiamen, and nomads banded together to help turn the tide. Hugh proved himself to one such group after he had come to their rescue against a group of ogres and trolls that were overwhelming them. They had been suspicious, at first, but soon realized that Hugh was no ogre and was not part of the horde.

“Dawn is coming,” a man named William noted as the band stalked another group of ogre that had broken off from the main horde. “Hugh, if they haven’t taken Onaway by then, do you think they will retreat?”

“Hard to say,” The men had come to rely on his knowledge of giants, as the night had progressed, a great honor. “Ogres are fickle creatures, but these ogres have brutes with them and wherever brutes are, a ogre scion can’t be far away.”

“An ogre scion,” Felita was a kitt, one of the cat races of the world, and a good tracker. “What, by Rel, is an ogre scion?”

“They are the leaders or the ogre race,” Sariuk, an elf, spoke the answer. “They are larger than even the brutes and have incredible magical powers. Hugh, are you sure an ogre scion is responsible for this? A scion hasn’t been seen since the end of the Second Ogre War.”

“My race still exists, and you say you haven’t seen a vonakyndra in your entire lifetime. Yet, here I am.” Hugh stood out amongst the smaller people he had bonded with overnight. The ogres they were stalking saw him and came at them. This was the plan, as the ogres couldn’t see the others who were crouched down in the high grass, as they walked.

“Here they come, my friends.” Hougwarth pretended to run away. The ogres came, the trap was sprung, and Hugh happily joined the fray. All the while he kept reminding himself to keep it simple and not drop his sword.

By dawn, the ogre hordes were in full retreat.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

Tangles End:
Bren found them all sleeping, except for the elf, late into the night. They let them sleep and Bactra told him what had transpired. Bren went and checked the avenue and surrounding areas. He couldn’t help but feel impressed.

These strangers, these easterners came all this way just to make an alliance with a crumbling, ruined city. He knew that the Senate would debate about it for months, and in the end nothing would likely come of it. He told Bactra and Garth as much, after the elven wizard woke him to stand watch.

“So it is all for nothing,” Bactra felt his need for the Reverie increase.

“Even without an alliance, we have learned a great deal. Knowledge is never nothing, didn’t you’re tutors teach you that.” Garth smiled. “Besides, I haven’t given up on anything, yet.”

“An optimist.” Bren smiled passing a flask of water to Garth.

“Hardly,” Bactra suppressed his need to laugh, as he didn’t want to wake the others or hurt his uncle’s feelings. “Garth is more of a realist. He won’t accept the idea that the alliance won’t happen until he hears it from your Senate, himself.”

“Ah, I see.” Bren laid down in the darkness. A fire in the tangles attracted the wrong sort of attention. “Well, you never know, stranger things have happened in this city.”

“Well, I’m exhausted.” Bactra rubbed his eyes and positioned himself for his rest cycle. “Time for the Reverie. See you in four hours.”

Bactra closed his eyes and was instantly into his cycle.

“That is an amazing thing,” Bren couldn’t help but be transfixed by the resting forest elf. “I’ve never seen an elf do that before.”

“Not all elves do,” Garth sat near the edge of the building, leaning against a foot high stone wall, which use to go around the entire building. “It is unique to the forest elves. Hmm, however, the hunter elves of the Verdalf Forest do something similar, but it is standing up.”

“Can he hear us?” Bren looked back and forth from the wizard to the ranger.

“No, I don’t think so,” Garth felt the need to divert the Onan’s attention. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Bren yawned.

“Why do you stay?”

“You mean us Onans, sir.” Bren replied.

“No, I mean you personally, and your family. You could start a new life for your children someplace that isn’t so dangerous.”

“I’ve just been stubborn, I guess. My wife wishes to leave and my son isn’t old enough to have become firmly entrenched in Onan way of life. I still love what’s left of my father’s family and, I guess, I feel like I’d be abandoning them.”

“Yet, they refuse to deal with you due to social stigma.” Garth wondered if this city was a place that the Eastern Shores wanted as an ally.

“What you say is correct, sir. Yet, I have to ask myself, if it had been their dishonor, would I have subjected my family to it. The truth is, I cannot say for certain.”

“And now, after this latest attack. You showed bravery and honor in protecting your people. That should cancel out any previous dishonor.”

“Unfortunately, it is not that simple, sir.” Bren’s mood seemed to be heading towards melancholy.

“I will say nothing more on the subject, except this; if the alliance isn’t cast then you and family can travel with us back to the Eastern Shores. I can’t ensure that the trip will be easy, but I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I hadn’t offered. Call it my own personal code of honor.”

“Thank you,” Bren was visibly surprised. “I will consider it if and when it becomes required to do so.”

They did not speak again until dawn, after the horns announced that the enemy was retreating.

End: The Alliance (Part I)


Below is a brief description of two new major NPCs that the characters encountered during this part of the adventure.

Avaniia (NPC, elven female) - At this point, there is very little that the characters have learned about the evil elven woman, known as Avaniia (also known as The Foulsoul), who tried to trick the characters into delaying their journey to Onaway. The most the PCs discovered were the elven witch’s plan too lay siege to Onaway. (She was so confident that her ogre and merrow allies would make short work of them that she felt like bragging to the PCs.)

Kellin One-Eye (NPC, ogre hero) - Kellin One-Eye is the only ogre on Harqual that is welcome in the Kingdoms of the Eastern Shores and a few city-states in the west. He is a hero in those lands and fights to protect humans from the predatory nature of ogres, orcs, and other evil humanoids. Why he chose to side with humanity against his own kind is a mystery to all except his closest friends. Some believe that he might not be an ogre at all but some kind of divine proxy of the gods or a spirit of some kind. Of course, these are all just rumors and Kellin isn't the sort who tries to quash wild stores about his past. After all, if these stories make his enemies nervous to face him on the field of battle, all the better. Of course, he doesn't deny that he is different from the savage and evil hordes that are constantly trying to conquer the continent.

 

[Knightfall]

PRELUDE: THE ALLIANCE (PART II)

From the Journal of Bactra Redwind, son of Minonus

The City of Onaway:
It has been four days since we came out of the tangles and into the city of Onaway, proper. However, classifying Onaway as a “true” city would be a mistake. The inner wall that protects against the dangers of the tangles is little more than a row of thick wooden stakes and the “city” currently takes up only a third of the area surrounded by the ruined, outer walls.

Yet, these Onans continue to exist here fairly comfortably, due to the protection of the tangles, its cultivators, and men like Bren. They refuse to give into the disaster that always seems to loom above their heads. To mark a point, it isn’t the size of the useable land that makes Onaway great, it is its people. Still they are quite isolated behind their tangled maze and many of their people will resist allying with outsiders.

Bren didn’t have much trouble leading us to and pass the garrisons and inner wall. The guards, cultivators, and militia see him as one of the leaders of the Tangle Rangers. Yet, as we moved out of the rugged streets near the edge of the tangle, his word held little to no weight. Soon he was forced to report back to duty by his “superiors” and we were brought before the Senate by a group of elite guardsmen. We had to surrender what was left of our armor and weapons, as well as agree to have our wrists “peace-bonded”.

Basically, the guardsmen tied are wrists and hands together and strung a silk rope between us as they marched us through the, much cleaner and safer, interior streets of Onaway up the marble steps of the main Senate building. They sprayed us down with cold water and made us change our clothes into what could be called little more than a large bolt of cloth draped and tied onto the body.

I thought Dabuk was going to hit something by the look on his face.

We faced the Senate as companions and did not let them divide us or humble our spirits. Garth spoke for the group and as diplomat for the Eastern Shores. He words were gracious but firm, which the Onans seemed to respond to. The Senate agreed to hear the petition for alliance and the headman of the Senate, a human named Than LaMarche, officially welcomed us to Onaway.

All went well, even after Hougwarth was brought into the city “peace-bonded” in chains, a day later. He had several local Onans with him that he had fought alongside during what has become know as the Night of Fire. They spoke for him, telling of his great strength and honor in fighting the ogre hordes alongside them.

I was glad to see that he was all right and I have even more respect for him than before. Dabuk still teases him about the time we first met, and how he dropped his sword in the dirt after a longwinded introduction. News of the vonakyndra spread like wildfire throughout the small, half-ruined city and Hugh has found himself swamped with questions everywhere he goes, which he answers with his usual zeal.

Garth has spent almost all of his time speaking with the Senate and privately with Lord LaMarche. Things are progressing even slower than Bren had foreseen. The Senate was divided down the middle. The old hard-liners insisted on Onaway not becoming involved with us easterners, while the younger, more liberal senators saw great potential in having allies beyond the confines of the Wild Plains Region.

Garth has yet to become discouraged.

Thessa feels out of place in the human city, and she has noticed that she draws almost as much attention as Hugh, regardless of her small stature. The Onans have never seen a forest gnome before and many of them haven’t even heard of the gnomish race. Thessa, as a result of all the attention, rarely strays from Mesik’s side or my own, when the hairfoot is off making maps of the city.

One of the favors that Garth agreed to was offering Mesik’s services in helping the Onans map out the “inner city”, as we have come to call it, although that appellation doesn’t really describe Onaway’s layout. Regardless, Mesik has jumped at the chance to map out the twisting mess of streets that is Onaway. There wasn’t a Cartographers’ Guild in the city before our arrival, but if Mesik has his way there will be before he leaves.

Dabuk and I have also received our fair share of stares and comments by the Onans. It seems these people don’t meet elves with favor. The Onans blame “all” the elves of the Great Forest for a great deal of the destruction that happened throughout the Wild Plains Region during the First and Second Ogre War. Supposedly the silver elves, and my people, were suppose to come to the west’s aid. What a silly, and very human, notion!

As a result, Dabuk has taken to spending as much time with Bren as he can, which means he’s spent most of his time learning the way of the tangled maze and sharing his own ideas with the Tangle Rangers. I, however, have found solace in the Hall of Records and Library of Onaway. The history and writings of the Onans aren’t substantial but their record keeping is quite organized for a people who were originally nomadic, living off the land of the Wild Plains…

 

[Knightfall]

THE ALLIANCE (PART II)

The Library of Onaway:
Bactra Redwind finished writing his journal entry -- the first he’d made in days. He dipped the inkpen one more time to enter the date, but then realized that he wasn’t even sure of the current day of the week. Let alone the date. He looked around for some sign of a calendar, but couldn’t find any markings on the walls that would indicate one. He’d have to remember to ask the Record Smith at the Hall of Records what calendar, if any, the Onan people followed.

Bactra tried to remember how many days had come and gone since he had left The Woodknot. Frustrated by his own lack of record keeping he simply ended the journal’s entry with his personal sigil and left it at that. He dusted the finished page with his own personal sealant so the ink wouldn’t run. A concoction that had been passed down to him by his arcane tutors in Woodknot. He would soon be out of the mixture, however.

“I hope I can find something similar here,” Bactra spoke out loud to no one in particular. Not that it mattered, as the library was empty, except for him. The scholars and librarians at the Library of Absolute Learning, in Fruen, would have laughed at the idea of calling the humble building that Bactra now sat in, as a library. It was barely 100 feet long and only half as wide. Its shelves were a third empty, but it was more organized than any human library that Bactra had ever set foot in. “Hmm, I wonder what the scholars in Fruen would think about that.”

Bactra blew the unstuck sealant mixture off the finished page. He set the page aside and began to collect as much of the sealant, from the alcove he was sitting at, as he could. The young elven mage had already scribed several new spells into one of his spellbooks, which he always kept close by.

“Not as much left as I had hoped,” Bactra noticed he was down to one or maybe two pages worth of sealant. “I’m going to have to go shopping for a substitute much sooner than I thought.”

He thought about asking the Keeper Smith, who was in charge of the library, if there was something the library kept on hands, but he put the thought out of his mind, as quickly as it had came. Whatever the library had would be considered precious and it would not be for sale.

Bactra collected his spellbooks, journal, and other scholarly gear, glad to have it all back, as it had all been taken from him when he had been forced to be peace-bonded. That had been the only thing that had bothered him about the whole experience, but he understood the Onans’ concerns. They didn’t get friendly visitors, ever.

Bactra shouldered his pack and adjusted his clothing, which he had also been glad to get back. He didn’t like the Onans’ style of dress, with their flowing robes, sandals, and gaudy jewelry. Of course, he would never point that out, but he’d feel silly walking around in what would pass a large, heavy blanket in a fine inn back in Fruen.

The elven wizard gracefully walked the empty, central corridor leading to the ornate double doors of the stone and marble library. The corridor was lined with statues of many of the continents known gods of learning & magic including Cull, Immotion, Boccob, and Heward, as well as few deities he didn’t recognize. He walked past them, through the double doors, and out into the late evening air.

On the steps leading down from the small library, which was one of the largest buildings in the city, he immediately noticed two guards standing at attention near the bottom. He knew these guards intimately, as they had been assigned to escort him around the city. The Senate had insisted that while in the city, the elves must be accounted for at all times.

It had been one of the main reasons why Dabuk had retreated to the tangled mazes with Bren and the other Tangle Rangers. Bactra had taken it all in stride, however. For he had felt the eyes of many Onans on him right away and he felt safer with the escort. Not that he was too worried about what a simple Onan peasant could do to him, even at this time of night. The fact he was a warlock, as the locals referred to wizards, had quickly spread throughout the small city.

Supposedly, true wizards were rare in Onaway, or at least they kept to themselves. The local arcane guild was better known for its bards and a few sorcerers & mages who had little or no respect in Onan society. Arcane magic wasn’t forbidden in Onaway, just not appreciated the same way as divine magic. It was feared by many of the city’s citizens, however.

“Claris, Vestin, I see you’re right where I left you.” Bactra treated the two guards well, but they rarely acknowledged him other than to pace his every movement. “I’m surprised you didn’t check up on me to make sure I was still inside.”

The guards didn’t speak, as he walked by. They fell in behind him, n more than 3 feet behind. It was like he was a nobleman’s son being guarded against pickpockets or street toughs.

“After all, you were ordered to follow me everywhere.” Bactra continued walking.

“We don’t go in there,” Bactra was in shock to here Vestin speak. “The library is meant only for scholars and warlocks.”

“Hmm, I see. So it is forbidden.”

“Not exactly,” this time it was the woman Claris who spoke. “The library is considered taboo by many Onans, as strange things often happen to those that enter, who the Gods deem unworthy.”

“Interesting,” Bactra couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll have to talk to the High Prelate about these taboos. After all, we don’t want you two to be getting into trouble, now do we?”

Neither guard spoke, at the jibe. Bactra decided to let it go, as he walked towards the inn he, Mesik, and Thessa were staying at near the inner wall, called The Creeping Vine. As the three of them neared the edge of the Central District, Claris began marching in front of Bactra. It was a sign of superiority to the denizens of the poorer, Outer District. A sign that said stay away, not that it mattered here.

The denizens of the Outer District were more reasonable and less suspicious. They were the salt of the earth, and in Onaway’s case, the salt of the sea as well. The Outer District ringed around the entire Central District, and was home to tangle cultivators, lowborn hagglers, and many, many sailors and fishermen. Onaway would be like any other port city, if not for its tangled maze.

As the trio approached The Creeping Vine the guards quickly turned around and headed back towards the Central District. The edict that said Bactra and Dabuk were always to have an escort didn’t reach this far into the Outer District. Bactra had been surprised that Claris and Vestin had escorted him this far.

Bactra entered the inn and headed upstairs for some, much needed, rest. Mesik was already fast asleep on his pallet, snoring loud enough to wake the dead, exhausted from a day of mapmaking. Bactra prepared himself for the Reverie, not worrying about the noise, as once into the elven ritual he wouldn’t hear a thing.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

The Creeping Vine:
Thessa had her own room at The Creeping Vine, which suited the gnome priestess just fine. She had become quite popular in the Outer District, as she freely went around healing people for no charge at all. So far, it hadn’t gotten her in trouble with the High Prelate, but it was only a matter of time.

Thessa rolled over and over gain on her feather down bead, trying to get to sleep. She was angry, angry at the temples and healers of the Central District. They charged outrageous sums of gold for the simplest of healing spells, which wasn’t, in it self, unusual for humans. However, they refused to help many of the citizens living in the Outer District due to being of lowborn status, or worse because they were forced to do jobs that those in the Central District found distasteful.

Thessa found this abhorrent, and she had immediately begun wandering around the Outer District healing anyone and everyone. She did not judge and she did not charge even a single copper piece. The lowborn of Onaway had come to greatly admire the gnome priestess and she was happy to help. Yet, more and more she saw how the citizens of the Central District had everything and the citizens of the Outer District were forced to live on nothing.

The citizens of Onaway prided themselves on their system of government, which allowed everyone to vote. Yet, the citizens of the Outer District were only allowed 2 representatives in the Senate, while the Central District had 8 representatives in the Senate. It was hardly fair.

She found Lord LaMarche to be fair and even handed man, but his influence only went so far. He was not a king, after all, only the Lord of the Senate, and even that title was mainly for show. Yes, Lord LaMarche wielded great power in the City of Onaway, but it was not absolute, which Thessa knew was a good thing.

“He should have a little more control than he does, however,” Thessa thought. “Then perhaps things would get better for the citizens of the Outer District.”

She knew from talking to many Onans that Lord LaMarche was highly respected, in both districts. He never favored the Central District, even when it would benefit him, and he was considered the voice of reason in the Senate, and a good man.

Yet, Thessa knew it wasn’t her place to say anything to the Lord of the Senate. However, she had brought the matter up to Garth and had asked him to talk to the Lord of the Senate about the possibility of the Outer District having more members in the Senate. Garth had agreed to ask, but said he wouldn’t promise anything.

“We will see just how good of a man this Lord LaMarche is,” Thessa yawned, rolling over one last time before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

Updated First Page!

Hi all, just posting this note to let all my readers, or maybe that should say any readers, that I've just revised and updated the first page of this thread. A lot of what was there has been cleaned up as best I could, including trying to make sure it reads in the same tense (past).

I have also cleaned up and expanded some of the descriptive text, as well as better defining where Bacta's journal entries begin and end with the use of italics. Plus, each adventure described within the story hour a clearly defined beginning header, as well as the Interludes and Soliloquies.

If any of you have wanted to tell a friend about my story hour then now is the best time. I might also go back on page one and two and write more interludes, as several posts detailing my health issues could be used to add new tidbits to the story hour. It is something I've been considering for a while now, but I have to think more about what I want to write.

Cheers!

Knightfall1972

 

[Knightfall]

The Burning Fowl:
“Tell me, Hougwarth, how are you enjoying you time here in Onaway?” The voice was almost mocking.

Hugh looked at the slack-tongued human sitting across from him without any hint of disdain or anger. It was often the way of fools to judge before they knew. “Very much so, thank you sir. You and your friends hospitality has been more gracious, up to this point.”

It was a veiled warning not to trample of the vonakyndra’s honor. Hugh hoped the sailor got the point, as his evening, so far, had been fun-filled and full of mirth. The sailors at The Burning Fowl had been amiable upon his arrival, but the night had become long and most of the original revelers had either left or become so drunk as to lose their manners. It didn’t help that Hugh had a giant’s constitution and could drink any of them under the table, twice.

Well, except maybe for the few dwarves in the establishment.

“Well, aren’t you just a keen talker.” The man’s words slurred back and forth just like his head. “I think old Hugh here thinks he’s better than us.”

“Shut up, Randal.” Lucius ran a simple establishment with strong drink and mildly passable food. “He pays for his drinks and hasn’t caused any trouble, which is more than I can say for you.”

“Aw Lucius, you’re just being soft on this outsider because his friends are bigwigs trying to ally themselves with the Senate. We all know you’re hoping to gain favor, with this here giant and his friends, so you can move The Burning Fowl into the Central District.” The sailor stood up challenging both Hugh and Lucius who was coming out from behind the bar.

“That’s it,” Lucius snapped his fingers and two hulking brutes near the front door came towards Randal and Hugh. “Get that drunken sailor out of my tavern!”

“Hey, I’m an honest Onan citizen! It’s him who should be tossed out on his giant-sized ass.” Randal pointed to Hugh, as dozens of eyes turned towards the sound of the sailor’s high-pitched voice.

“I warn you, sir,” Hugh took a gulp of his ale. “Ah! Do not make your current situation worse than it already is. You’ve obviously had too much to drink and have lost your head under the table somewhere.”

The jibe brought laughter from several sloshed sailors, at nearby tables. The bouncers quickly gathered up Randal and escorted him out of the tavern. Hugh laughed and motioned for the sailors to join him.

“Two more jugs, please, Lucius,” Hugh raised his glass to the men that swarmed for chairs at his table, which was now empty. “And another round each for all these fine sailing men revealing here with us tonight.”

His announcement brought cheers from the entire tavern. He passed ten gold pieces to Lucius to pay for the drinks, as well as sizeable gratuity. A bard began singing a sea shanty across the room and soon the entire tavern was singing along. By night’s end, all were wasted except the wood giant. He was tipsy, of that there was no doubt, but he still had most of his faculties.

“Ah, what fun,” Hugh toasted Lucius who was now sitting across from him. “I hope I didn’t deplete your ale reserves too much?”

“Pretty much, although it will be fine. I’ve made more coin tonight than in the last two weeks. You’re good for business Hugh.”

“I try.”

Lucius laughed. He was a little drunk himself. The two stayed up all night swapping drinking songs and talking about the state of Onaway and Hougwarth’s people, as the two bouncers cleared the tavern and cleaned up broken furniture and broken teeth.

“Messy business, running a tavern.” Hugh mused.

“I try.”

Hugh’s booming laughter could be heard as far away as the docks.

* * *

 

[Knightfall]

Morning Consul:
Garth’s patience with the Onan Senate was beginning to fray. He’d never show it, of course, but the strange rules and bylaws that had to be followed in order to speak directly to the Senate were daunting, to say the least. He’d only gained on official audience with the Senate and that had been the day after he and his companions had arrived.

It was at that time he had gone over the details of what the Eastern Shores were willing to give in exchange for an alliance with Onaway. The list would have made most rulers in the lands south of the Eastern Shores drool over the possibilities. However, he soon discovered that the Onans were nothing like the lands and independent city-states of the Thunder Lands.

They had no interest in gaining access to arcane magic of any kind, which had been surprising, at first. The main points of the alliance were based on magical exchange, as well as scholarly. The one arcanist on the Senate had immediately become Garth’s ally; that had been the only good part.

He soon discovered that most arcanists were nothing more than second class citizens and his thoughts had immediately turned to worrying that Bactra might get into trouble. Lord LaMarche had assigned Bactra two bodyguards, at Garth’s request, which had put the Justiciar’s mind at ease.

Garth found Than LaMarche to be quite an affable, no nonsense man. They had many similar qualities when it came to ideas about government, war, and the rights of all law-abiding, sentient humanoids. It was this that made Garth bring up Thessa’s idea that those living in the Outer District might benefit from a stronger voice on the Senate.

“You do realize that such a process couldn’t happen overnight,” Than sat cross-legged near the edge of a large pool of crystal clear water.

Several men and women of noble birth bathed together nude in the clean waters. The Onans weren’t much for modesty, a trait that Garth found both intriguing and disturbing. The bathing was done in a very proper manner and it was no where near like a huge orgy. Still, many in Fruen would consider such a thing scandalous.

“I understand completely Lord LaMarche,” Garth wouldn’t push the idea even though he had told Thessa he would. It was not his duty to change the Onans’ system of government or laws. “It was only an idea put forth to me by my friend and traveling companion, Thessal Simmial.”

“Ah yes, the gnome. She is causing quite a stir in the Outer District.” Than ran his hands through the water, as a young waif passed by, eyeing them. “The High Prelate wants the Senate to censure her faith until she pays the proper taxes on healing. I have stalled the vote, so far, but I cannot guarantee that I will be able to for much longer.”

“How much?” Garth wouldn’t be intimidated.

“Ah, you are indeed a smart man.” Than liked Garth’s bluster and need for honor. “She can either pay the tax per healing spell cast or the yearly fee, which includes the right for her to set up a temple anywhere she chooses within the confines on the city proper.”

“I see.” Garth understood, as Than put emphasis on the “anywhere” put of his speech. “How much is the yearly tax?”

“Oh, a mere 1,000 marbles,” Than smiled at the Justiciar. “Not including the costs of building the temple, of course.”

“Of course,” Garth knew that “marbles” referred to the Onans’ own poorly minted gold coins. They were inferior to the coins minted by the countries of the Eastern Shores. He reached into one of his magical pouches and willed 100 coins, minted in the Kingdom of Thallin, into reach. He transferred the coins into a small mundane pouch, tied it, and tossed it into Lord LaMarche’s lap. “I take it that 100 of those coins will be sufficient.”

Lord LaMarche hadn’t been paying attention to Garth, distracted by the young waif and her ample treasures as she once more came near. He sighed in disbelief at the easterner’s arrogance before opening the tie string and losing his jawbone into his lap.

“By the Gods,” Than looked at Garth with new found respect and a little awe. “Is this platinum?”

“Yes?” Garth was puzzled. Platinum was rare but not that rare. “I take it Onaway doesn’t see a lot of platinum?”

“Almost none,” Than showed the coins to his new muse and she gasped. “You still had this on you? After traveling all the way across the continent! Amazing!”

“Not really,” Garth liked Lord LaMarche’s naivete. “After all, the pouch I took them from is enchanted. It allows me to store a great sum of wealth in it without having to worry about the excess weight. However, I wouldn’t mention that to the High Prelate when you tell him the tax has been paid.”

“Indeed.” Lord LaMarche quickly forgot his muse who had recoiled back at the mention of magic. “There is more platinum here than I’ve ever seen in my entire lifetime.”

“Really?” Garth knew he had the advantage. “Well, let me know if there is a fee that will allow my next audience with the Senate to be pushed up, will you?”

Garth walked out of the bathhouse, the condensation on his armor quickly evaporating in the cool morning air. He didn’t even look back to see if Lord LaMarche was watching him leave.

“Now, maybe the real negotiations can begin,” Garth walked silently towards the Outer District to give Thessa, at least, some good news.

* * *